Yorkshire dealer group JCT600 has revised its managerial structure to enable it to better monitor its businesses and drive growth.

It has created an operations board, which sits directly below the main board of directors, and has appointed brand directors responsible for the performance of specific franchises.

“This has been done to cope with expansion in the group, it creates focus on certain areas and lets us manage continued growth” says chief executive John Tordoff.

“2005 was the most successful year in the history of JCT600. In order to maintain progress and to manage the continued growth of the group, I have taken the decision to create an operations board to sit directly below the main board of directors.”

Sitting on the board with Tordoff, finance director Brian Crowther and aftersales director David Holmes, are four senior managers who have been promoted from within the group. They are group operations director Philip Southern, group F&I director Simon Barrass, group property director Mark Taylor, and group human resources director Justine Steele.

Brand directors are David Nicholson (Volkswagen), Royce Roberts (ChryslerJeep, Mazda and Seat), Les Cooper (Vauxhall) and David Clapham (Aston Martin, Bentley, Ferrari, Maserati and Lotus). Porsche and BMW/Mini brand directors are expected to be announced later this year.

“I wanted to give them the credibility of directorship roles, as these people are talking to vehicle manufacturers and finance companies. It’s also a reward for their hard work,” says Tordoff.

“The group has expanded at such a rate recently, we need a few more chiefs as well as Indians.”

Last May, JCT600 bought two Volkswagen dealerships in Hull and York, and it has since added another VW outlet in Bradford and a Peugeot dealership in Hull. Tordoff says he is in talks about further acquisitions.

The group recently overcame a planning wrangle to get permission for a £5m new Porsche centre in Leeds. Its current Porsche centre was built in 1998 and shares the Leeds Brooklands site with Ferrari, Maserati and Lotus franchises.

City planners had initially told JCT600 its plan for the Wortley Ring Road brownfield location was “too modest”. However, modified plans have been approved, and the project will be completed by the end of the year.