Ashley Winter OBE has been appointed chief executive of the Retail Automotive Alliance.

Winter, formerly managing director of Patterson Motor Group until he sold it to Arnold Clark, takes over in May from retiring RAA chief executive Paul Knight.

The Retail Automotive Alliance is a successful collective buying group owned by its 22 dealer group members who have a combined turnover of £2.5billion.

Besides running £250m turnover Patterson Motor Group, Winter has also been a national chairman of the Ford National Dealer Council and has a wealth of experience and business acumen as an owner driver.

Marc Matthew, RAA chairman, said it was great to have Winter's expertise back within the senior team of the RAA, and thanked Knight for his service to the RAA.