Neil Addley, founder and managing director of JudgeService Research, promises to deliver a masterclass of leadership insights gained after more than 20 years of working with some of the UK’s most successful automotive retail groups at this year’s Automotive Management Live.

Working closely with the National Franchised Dealer Association (NFDA), co-hosts of the annual motor retailing expo Automotive Management Live, which takes place at Birmingham’s NEC on November 7, it means Addley has been exposed to a multitude of leadership styles throughout the sector.

He said: “I’ve had the privilege of working for some of the very best leaders and the industry’s biggest names at Perrys, CD Bramall, Pendragon and Reg Vardy.  I’ve also been fortunate enough to get to know the leaders in Arnold Clark, Lookers and Marshall to name a few, through my work with the NFDA.

"It’s given me a chance to learn from the cream of the crop and adopt the habits and skills they continually demonstrate.

“While every leadership style is different and influenced by the variety of work cultures which are at play in our sector, there are inevitably some common threads which stand out. Having worked for and with such a wide variety of groups and learning through some excellent books on the subject, I have gained a mass of leadership insights over the past 20-plus years.

"I am looking forward to sharing them with attendees to our masterclass session at AM Live and am confident there will be some extremely useful and easy to implement take-aways.”

He added: “In many ways industry suppliers find themselves in a unique position exposed to a myriad of dealership cultures and leadership styles. Being able to draw on such insights provides us with the opportunity to identify some of the most influential and successful approaches which can easily be adopted by others.

"Far from being a step-by-step leadership guide, this session will aim to be a window into the world of automotive retail leadership best practice, together with my own take on ‘heliotropic’ leadership.”

Automotive Management Live, on November 7 at Bimingham NEC, is a combination of dealer masterclasses, expert speakers on motor finance compliance and people management, plus exhibitions by more than 80 motor industry brands. Register to attend for free here.