Chris Armstrong has been appointed as general manager of Bristol Street Motors Ford Bolton, after joining the company on its Finance Graduate Scheme in 2014.

Having graduated with a Business Studies degree, Armstrong completed his CIMA qualifications while on the Scheme and worked as an accountant at the Ford Bolton and Wigan dealerships.  He was later promoted to assistant divisional finance director within the Ford division.

Armstrong, who also represents England and Great Britain at Water Polo, said was he looking forward to the challenges of a sales environment and a customer-facing role.

He was approached by the AM100 dealer group’s chief executive Robert Forrester and operations director Ian Harrison to move into the operations role.

Armstrong said: “Although I have taken the company’s General Manager Development Programme I hadn’t really thought about an operational position until Robert and Ian spoke to me.

“My studying and career to date have revolved around finance and it is an exciting prospect to step away from that.”

Forrester added: “This is a great appointment and moreover shows our core value of “Opportunity’ in operation. Chris has youth on his side and both in his finance graduate role and regional financial role, has always shone brightly. I believe he will make a first-class general manager and then who knows!”