Annual U.K. Auto Dealer Conference Around Corner

A record 1,500 auto-industry trade professionals sign up to attend the annual Car Dealer Conference & Expo.

The biggest-ever gathering of auto-retailing professionals in the U.K. is being held June 9 at Silverstone, 75 miles (120 km) northwest of London.

Organizers say that with a footprint three times the size of last year’s conference, the expo will be the perfect place for dealers to see what about 100 suppliers to the motor trade have to offer.

There will be 12 workshop sessions highlighting key trends, as well as breakout sessions to share experiences.

Keynote conference speeches will come from Ken Ramirez, managing director-Renault and Dacia in the U.K.; Steve Fowler, editor-Auto Express; Scott Sinclair, automotive industry manager at Google; and Tim Smith, group strategy director of event partner GForces.

Social media channel Twitter will make its only presentation on the U.K. automotive industry this year.

Senior industry figures, including executives from vehicle manufacturers and leading franchised dealer groups, will conduct Q&A sessions.

There will be a special session on women in the motor trade.

James Baggott, managing director-Car Dealer magazine, calls the industry response fantastic.

“I am so pleased the industry shares my belief that the U.K. really needs a (National Automobile Dealers Assn.)-style event to call its own,” he says of the U.S. auto-retailer organization.

Baggott says the event will be attended by delegates from across the automotive retail sector and offer a who’s who of industry suppliers on scores of stands.