The Independent Motor Dealers Association (IMDA) has welcomed Jim Reid Vehicle Sales’ Phil Buchan to its board.

Buchan, who is sales manager at the independent used car retail group’s Kintore facility, was hailed as “fresh talent” for the organisation in a LinkedIn post welcoming him to the board.

The IMDA was formed in November 2017 with the aim of offering support, training and greater leverage with suppliers for smaller independent used car retail operations and now has over 400 approved members and just under 40 supporting suppliers.

As it celebrated its two-year anniversary last November, the IMDA also added former Jardine Motors and Inchcape man and current Vertu Motor general manager Simon Blackwell into its leadership fold.

Now celebrating the addition of Buchan to the board, the IMDA said in a statement: “We are extremely proud of what has already been achieved, however we need to keep looking for new and fresh talent to join us.

“We’ve already been talking to a few well respected names in the industry who we feel are a perfect fit for the association and (the IMDA is) proud to announce a young man who has great passion for the industry, fully understands what is required from the dealers perspective that the association should be doing to help and support the dealers and so, so much.

“It gives (us) great pleasure to welcome to The IMDA board Phil Buchan.

The IMDA said that Buchan had already “brought new and fresh ideas” into the association.

The IMDA was founded by independent dealers Jim Reid, Umesh Samani, Phil Weaver, Stuart Saunders, Chris Roach, David Bilsborough and industry analyst Philip Nothard and has been run on a strict ‘not for profit’ footing.

Speaking to AM on the organisation’s two-year anniversary, chairman Umesh Samani said: “Two years on and we are proud of what we have achieved in such a short time. Over 400 approved members, just under 40 supporting suppliers who help and support the independent motor dealers with exclusive deals not available from anywhere else.

“We helped dealers with GDPR compliance, we got correct advise and support from the ASA with regards to correct methods of marketing business use vehicles, put together amazing profit clinics and masterclass’s which have always been a sell out and there’s plenty more in the pipeline.”