Helping the team make the most of a good opportunity comes naturally to this winner, who's heading a business that, although young, shows plenty of promise.

Helen Price is in her first general management role and has taken Johnsons Mazda Gloucester from a start-up to a profitable dealership in a remarkably short period. Within 18 months the business is making returns above the industry’s average, thanks to Price’s commitment and the 20-strong team she has built around her.

With this her first general manager post, Price has been careful when employing to select the right recruits and to hire talented teamworkers who want to “be part of something special”. The environment she has built is supportive, motivational and celebratory, and she recognises that when the market gets tough good leaders must motivate their teams more than ever. 

Heading a business ranked in the latest AM Best UK Dealerships To Work For, thanks to high scores in Best Companies’ employee survey, Price is clearly respected and admired by her team. A recipient of an Outstanding Management Accreditation award from the Institute of the Motor Industry, she has always wanted a strong team that others want to be part of. After starting trading in April 2018 with three people, a temporary showroom and a mobile office while a former Volvo dealership was being refurbished to Mazda’s corporate standards, Johnsons Mazda Gloucester is now firmly established and set to grow. 

In contrast to many established dealerships, the workforce is about 40% female, bringing it closer than usual to the UK’s typical car buyer demographic.

“We are constantly monitoring what is working and what isn’t, and which avenues customers come into the dealership from. This is a business we will work at to improve what we already do,” said Price.

Finalists: Helen Price of Johnsons Mazda Gloucester; Peter Titlow and Robert Titcombe of Citygate Seat Reading; Mohammad Vakilipour of Citygate Volkswagen Ruislip

Award sponsored by: Petronas