Peugeot dealers are reportedly pleased to see the back of Christian Geraud, who left the UK managing director’s post at the end of November.

He has been replaced by Pierre Louis Colin. Prior to the move, Colin was based in Paris as a zone director in Peugeot’s overseas sales department.

AM understands that Geraud, who had been managing director since April 2003, is now running a Peugeot dealership in southern France, near his family home. The UK network was informed about the changes at a franchise meeting in mid-November. Afterwards, one dealer group boss told AM that Geraud “was never liked” by many of his retail partners.

Peugeot executives privately admit that Geraud wasn’t the man for the job. One says he was a “disaster”, adding: “This gives us a fresh start. Pierre Louis has the right credentials to take the brand forward.”

Earlier this year, Geraud bullishly predicted Peugeot’s UK market share would increase from 2004’s 6.3% to 6.6% this year, despite the toughening retail market. But he has left the company with a reversal of fortunes. At the start of November, its year-to-date market share was down to 5.9%.