Alan Hodgkinson (58), managing director of Aquilo Motor Services is to retire from the company at the end of March.

He played a key role in overseeing Aquilo's acquisition of ABS, the repairer network earlier this year.

Hodgkinson said: "The last year has been a particularly taxing time but now that the acquisition is complete and the handover has been successfully completed, I believe it is a good time to go."

Hodgkinson was one of the original founders of ABS in 1995. He has since played a key part in the company's rapid growth and held a variety of managerial roles, becoming chief executive in 2002.

Following the acquisition last month, he was appointed managing director of Aquilo Motor Services and a non-executive director of Aquilo plc.

Aquilo chief executive officer Clive Nicholls will take over day-to-day running of Aquilo Motor Services, of which ABS is a part.