Automotive Management (AM) is all set to celebrate the automotive retail sector’s most successful businesses and star employees at the AM Awards 2020.

The cream of the sector’s crop will flock to Birmingham’s International Convention Centre (ICC) tonight (February 13) to find out whether they have emerged from the “challenging” 2019 market with awards success to accompany their business success.

AM editor Tim Rose is keen to meet all guests attending the events, which is this year hosted by BBC Breakfast television presenter Louise Minchin and includes stand-up comedy from Emmy Award-winning comedian Rich Hall (pictured), star of TV’s Live At The Apollo, QI, Have I Got News For You and Never Mind The Buzzcocks.

Rose said: “The AM Awards is always a great highlight in the motor retail industry’s calendar, and we love taking the opportunity to recognise and celebrate some of the great success stories in this sector.

“For many motor retailers 2019 was a challenging year but there were still stand out performances.

“All the finalists attending tonight deserve recognition, and none more so than the winners who’ll be announced in just a few hours’ time.”

The full list of shortlisted awards entrants.

AM’s panel of eight judges, supported by dealer awards auditor BDO and digital award auditor Google, spent days poring over the dozens of entry forms for each category and a full day debating the merits of each submission before logging their votes under the scrutiny of independent chairman Christopher Macgowan OBE.

In some very-closely contested categories the judges have decided to also award highly commended awards, which will also be announced on the evening.

A series of new categories have been introduced for 2020, handing an opportunity to win an award to an automotive retail Bright Spark, a standout Online Customer Experience performer and a Best Used Car Dealer Group (franchised and independent).

Rose added: "The best of luck to everyone who made this year's shortlist."