Benfield managing director Nigel McMinn has been promoted to chief executive, effective this month.

He had been MD since 2006. Prior to this he was a regional director for Reg Vardy for 10 years.

Mark Squires takes on the role of executive chairman at Benfield and will head its strategy and company direction. 

McMinn will be leading the Benfield executive board in the day to day running of the business.

The promotion follows the appointment of Gerard Murray who is now group finance director at the company.

Squires said: “I am delighted to announce the completion of our new board. The promotion of Nigel McMinn to chief executive is a significant appointment for us and thoroughly deserved. Nigel has made a tremendous contribution since joining us six years ago. His drive and passion for the business are infectious and at the heart of a leadership style which will spur our ambitions and translate our development plans into reality.
 
“After our recent acquisitions and growth we needed to strengthen our board of directors to give us the right blend of expertise, experience and dynamism at the helm of our business. We have assembled the strongest executive team we have ever enjoyed as a company equipping us to capitalise on our recent growth and the vision we have for the Benfield brand."
 
And McMinn said: “ This is a huge honour for me to be given this opportunity to lead Benfield’s  day to day management of our 1,500 strong work force, 34 dealerships and business operations throughout the group.
 
“As a brand and business we have come a long way since I joined the company in 2006 and we are all very excited about developing Benfield’s vision and values well into the future.
 
“We are one of the largest retail companies in the North East of England and one of the leading privately owned motor groups in the country and I am very much  looking forward  to the challenges ahead.”
 
Benfield Motor Group is an independently owned family business founded in Newcastle in 1957 by John Squires Snr and developed by John Squires Jnr who will continue to chair the supervisory board.
 
Benfield has retail outlets throughout the North East of England, Yorkshire, Cumbria and South West Scotland across a portfolio of 14 car retail brands with an annual group turnover of £415 million in 2011.