Craig Heathershaw joins Available Car as chief operating officer

Available Car has appointed former Renault Retail Group regional operations director Craig Heathershaw as its new chief operating officer.

He joins the used car supermarket group with more than 28 years’ experience in the UK motor retail industry.

Prior to his role at Renault Retail Group, Heathershaw was operations director for the VW division of Inchcape, where he managed 14 dealerships in the north of the UK.

Michael Bell, Available Car CEO, said: “I am incredibly excited to announce the appointment of Craig Heathershaw as chief operating officer at Available Car. Craig joins us with a wealth of knowledge and experience of the industry to complement our team.  We share the same ethos and values of the complete customer and employee experience. We are delighted to welcome Craig into the Available Car family and look forward to the years of growth ahead.”

In a AM dealer profile, Bell said he believes his car supermarket group can 'get through anything', in light of the coronavirus pandemic. 

Available Car said it has grown rapidly over the last 20 years. It opened its first used car supermarket in Castle Donington in 2002, followed by Sutton-in-Ashfield in 2007, then Cannock in 2012, and most recently, Leeds, West Yorkshire in January 2016.

Heathershaw added: “I’ve been impressed by the innovative approach to technology and process controls within the business and the team’s focus on delivering excellent customer service. I am truly excited to be joining Michael Bell and the senior team as we continue the Available Car journey.”