Former Peugeot UK boss David Peel to join Pentagon as managing director

Former Peugeot UK managing director David Peel is set to replace David Lewis as the MD of the AM100's Pentagon Motor Group.

The move was revealed by the group this morning in an official statement announcing David Lewis’ planned retirement from the business, following the group’s financial year end, in July 2021.

Peel had been with Groupe PSA as managing director of Peugeot UK until January this year, when he was replaced by former Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) experiential marketing director Julie David upon announcing an intention to “pursue his career outside of Groupe PSA”.

Commenting on his latest career move, Peel said: “After five years as MD at Peugeot UK, and almost 20 years with Groupe PSA, where I held roles including regional and fleet director and chief executive of Robins and Day, I was ready to consider a change.

“As one of the more progressive dealer groups, with growing Groupe PSA interests, I was very aware of the progress being made by Pentagon Motor Group, and the happy coincidence of David’s retirement plans made the final decision to join very easy for me.

“Having met many of the Pentagon Motor Group people during my time at Peugeot UK, I know David has developed a very solid team and I now look forward now to driving the business on even further with them.

“There’s still plenty to be done, but the business is very healthy despite the challenges of the pandemic, and, as part of Motus Group (UK), we can be really confident in the future. And for me personally, the chance to work across a number of the most important brands in the UK market will be a refreshing challenge.”

Derby-based Pentagon Motor Group, which became part of Motus Group (UK) in 2017, operates 46 franchise outlets for 12 major brands, from 26 sites across the East Midlands, North West, South Yorkshire and Lincolnshire.

Commenting on his impending retirement from the business, Lewis said: “This is a planned development that I had been considering for some time. It has been a pleasure and a privilege to work with the Pentagon and Motus Group teams to develop our strategy of concentrating on fewer brands, but with a greater scale of operation for each.

“I have known David Peel for many years – we were actually trainees at the same Ford dealership in South Wales at the start of our careers – so it’s very pleasing to find those two careers meeting up again in such a positive way at this stage.”

Rob Truscott, the chief executive of Pentagon owner Motus Group (UK), paid tribute to David Lewis upon news of his impending departure from the business. He said: “David has all our very best wishes for his retirement plans.

“He has been a valued and trusted colleague, working tirelessly to help us shape and integrate the Pentagon Motor Group.

“His reputation in the industry and within our own group as an experienced leader is well-founded; he will be sorely missed after his 30 years’ service to our UK business.

“He and I are both delighted however, that we have secured David Peel as his successor. It augurs well for both planning a hand-over both in the coming months and the longer term future.”