Former Mercedes-Benz Retail Group managing director Neil Williamson has been named as the new director of Seat UK.

Williamson, who started his career at Renault and Nissan, had been at Mercedes since 2004, initially in network development, and headed the prestige carmaker's own retailer since 2008, until heading to South Africa and being replaced by Mike Whittington this year.

Williamson replaces Peter Wyhinny on February 1, who is moving to become director of Seat Italy, after six years spent growing the VW Group brand in the UK.

Prior to that Wyhinny had headed VW Commercial Vehicles UK.