Robert Forrester has been promoted at Reg Vardy plc with a brief to drive the expansion of products and services outside its core business of retail vehicle sales though its dealerships.

Forrester, who has been finance director since 2001, becomes managing director on June 1.

Gerard McAloon, who takes over finance on May 23, adds board responsibility for IT and human resources, and both men will report to chief executive Sir Peter Vardy.

“The board decided it was time to revert to three senior directors, so that I can devote more time to developing non-core businesses within the group,” says Forrester.

“Our fleet services division launched two years ago has grown to 30,000 units a year. Internet car sales have doubled in a short space of time to 600 a month and sub-prime finance business is now sold on 300 cars a month.

“We need to focus on these areas, plus a rising demand for contract hire motoring, so that we do not allow anyone else to take this business away.”

Sir Peter Vardy says: “Robert and Gerry are men of passion, determination and undoubted ability and their appointments reflect our ambitions to keep driving the growth of the business.”

McAloon is new to the automotive sector, joining Vardy from Sanmina-Sci Inc, the US-based electronics group, where he was vice-president.