Chris Hayden, chief executive of the UK division of US-owned Group 1 Automotive, has resigned.

The company confirmed last night that Hayden has resigned this week after advising UK chairman Ian Twinley that he was leaving for personal reasons.

Pete Delongchamps, Group 1 Automotive vice president, told AM: "Chris was an certainly an asset to our organization and we wish him well."

Hayden had been with Group 1 since 2011, initially at its California business before returning to head its expanding UK dealer group in 2013.

AM interviewed Hayden about the business last autumn. Click here to read the profile.