BMW marketing director to run AM100 car dealer group

BMW UK's marketing director Michelle Roberts is set to become managing director of the AM100 car dealer group BMW Park Lane.

The group, which is owned by the carmaker, operates its flagship BMW and Mini dealership in London's Park Lane and its service centres at Battersea and Park Royal, and it accounts for more than 6,000 sales of BMWs and Minis a year.

It follows the sudden death in March of Chris Learmonth, who had been BMW Park Lane's MD for seven years. He was just 46 years old.

Roberts takes up her new role on June 1. She has worked across many senior positions within the BMW Group in both the UK and Germany over more than 20 years.

BMW Park Lane handles much of the brand’s diplomatic sales, corporate sales and VIP customers.

Replacing her in the BMW marketing director role will be Colette Healy, who currently heads the strategy team of the BMW Group UK

Healy (pictured right) had worked at BMW-owned Rolls-Royce Motor Cars until moving to Mini UK in 2019 to lead marketing and product management in the MINI team.

She has been in her current role since 2023.

David George, BMW Group UK chief executive, said: “I would like to thank Michelle for having led our marketing team for six years with great success in a time of transformation not only within our business, but in the whole industry.

"Now, she will bring a wealth of experience to an exciting new challenge on the retail side of our business. 

"I would also like to welcome Colette, who has been instrumental in guiding the direction of BMW UK and the senior management team in her strategy role and who will now lead the marketing department in this vital position for the business”.

In response to Learmonth's death hundreds of industry colleagues posted tributes across social media highlighting that he had "the gift of making everyone feel special to him" and he was "a selfless leader of the highest order".