Stuart Foulds joins the AM Hall of Fame at 2022 AM Awards

12 May 2022

A transformative period for TrustFord which saw an acceleration of fleet volumes, a restructured portfolio and a focus on employee culture will be the legacy of this year’s AM Hall of Fame inductee, Stuart Foulds.

Foulds joins esteemed company in the AM Hall of Fame after bringing an end to his automotive retail career with almost five years at the Ford of Britain-owned franchised car retail group.

Previously the managing director of the Evans Halshaw Ford Group and the longest-standing member of the Ford Dealer Council, Foulds took the helm of TrustFord in July 2017 as chief executive and chairman of the AM100 dealer group.

What followed was a transformative period for the motor retailer.

The expansion of its Long Marston logistic centre, near Stratford-on-Avon, and the acquisition and growth of a vast PDI centre in Sherburn have accelerated its ability to deliver volume.

Foulds’ tenure also saw the delivery of the TrustFordNOW initiative to improve the immediacy of sales, allowing car buyers to drive a vehicle away in as little as an hour.

The brand was later extended to ServiceNOW, guaranteeing a service in 60 minutes.

PartsPlus trade parts centres and QuickLane fast-fit operations have been rolled-out across the UK and, in 2020, TrustFord made changes as part of a move to consolidate the brand’s London dealerships.

The £30m sale of its 4.44-acre Alperton dealership saw its sales operations moved to Edgware Road before the January 2020 opening of a new 20,000 square foot aftersales centre in Alperton.

Alongside a series of strategic changes made under Foulds’ leadership, TrustFord also focussed on its people, leading the way on issues such as diversity and inclusion.

And Foulds became recognised as a key supporter of the Ben automotive charity, particularly through its annual Break Out for Ben charity challenge.

One AM Awards judge said: “It’s great that we can recognise what Stuart Foulds has done in his career. There’s a real legacy there.”

Previous inductees: 2021 Professor Richard Parry-Jones CBE (posthumous); 2020 Graham Day, CEM Day; 2019 Tony Whitehorn, Hyundai; 2018 Jack Tordoff MBE, JCT600; 2017 Michael Smyth, Swansway Group; 2016 Mark Squires, Benfield Motor Group/NFDA; 2015 Gerard Nieuwenhuys, Sytner.