Sarah Sillars is back to lead Institute of the Motor Industry

Sarah Sillars OBE, who stepped down as chief executive of the Institute of the Motor Industry in 2009, is returning to the role 16 years later.

Sillars has been announced as the IMI's acting chief executive from the start of next month as its executive chair of the board, Kevin Finn, steps down from his role.

Finn became executive chair last year following the retirement of Steve Nash, who had been the IMI's chief executive since 2013.

The IMI said Sillars will remain at the head of the industry body, which has a mission to ensure professional competence and recognition for in the automotive workforce, while it continues its formal search process for a permanent CEO and executive team, as well as seeking to fill several non-executive director vacancies.

She is currently a vice president of the IMI and has recently held non-executive directorships at AM100 dealer group Citygate Automotive and Remit Training. She was IMI CEO from 2002 to 2009 and then served as executive chair until 2012.

"We are grateful for Kevin’s contribution to the IMI," said Jim Saker, IMI president and emeritus professor of Loughborough University. "As we move forward, we are confident in Sarah’s ability to guide the organisation and maintain our focus on delivering value to our members, centres and the wider automotive sector."

Finn has served on the IMI Board for over five years, as chair from January 2020 to July 2024, and interim executive chair from August 2024.

The IMI said he has played a pivotal role in guiding the IMI through significant milestones, including further expansion of its international operations, growing its member community to over 110,000 and the launch of the ‘There’s More To Motor’ campaign, aimed at supporting the industry with its continued high vacancy challenges.

"It has been an honour to serve as chair and more recently interim executive chair of the IMI, and I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished together,” he said.

"I am confident that Sarah Sillars and the entire leadership team will continue to drive the organisation forward and uphold our commitment to excellence."