INTERNATIONAL speakers feature in an impressive roll call of automobile dignitaries who will open the 2024 AADA Convention and Expo on July 24.

The information and guidance provided by these guests, and those from Australia, are of specific benefit to the industry and particularly dealers.

Speakers include NADA chairman Gary Gilchrist, Cox Automotive Australia CEO Stephen Lester; the CEO of Canadian Automobile Dealers Association, Tim Reuss; and Toyota Australia vice president Jack Hobbs. In addition, there are a host of Australia’s key industry experts.

The registrations for the upcoming 2024 AADA Convention and Expo already exceed those of 2023 and the must-see expo – which has a mix of products, services and operational solutions in one place – is sold out with 69 exhibitors confirmed.

Convention director Patrick Tessier OAM said the expo will be a centrepiece for any new car dealer because of its showcase of new technologies in CRM, dealership marketing and  service department equipment solutions.

“This year the AADA has focused on building a convention program that delivers for new-car franchised dealers in terms of operational challenges, meeting market demands, EVs and dealers, the consumer journey, security in a new financial world and advocacy, making sure our collective voice is heard,” he said.

“The 2024 AADA Convention and Expo General Session is designed to meet the current challenges head on. There are three big issues facing dealers. They are, financial performance, digital security and the emerging EV market, particularly investing in a new Chinese brand.”

Bringing the big issues to the forefront are the convention’s key sessions and presentations.

Mr Tessier said the newly announced presentation ‘is a feature panel “Automotive Retail – The Next 5 Years” which is moderated by AADA CEO James Voortman’ on the afternoon of Wednesday July 24.

James Voortman

The AADA says all industry members are aware that the Australian automotive market is a highly competitive environment with more than 70 car-makers competing for a share of over 1.2 million new vehicle sales. 

“The new car franchised network is the backbone of this ecosystem delivering over two million sales in new and used vehicles and completing 48 million car services. 

“Dealers employ 61,000 people and train nearly 6000 apprentices. As an industry new car dealers contribute $18.6 billion to the national economy,” the AADA said.  

Now, automotive retail is in the midst of seismic change with forces such as the rise of China, decarbonisation, digitisation, rationalisation and disintermediation.  

This panel will conduct an interesting conversation about industry challenges and policy direction and what the next five years will produce for our industry.

The panel will comprise Cox Automotive Australia CEO Stephen Lester; the CEO of Canadian Automobile Dealers Association, Tim Reuss; the CEO of the MTA of WA, Stephen Moir; Toyota Australia vice president Jack Hobbs; and CEO of the EV Council of Australia, Samantha Johnson.

Stephen Lester

The AADA Sovereign Insurance Australia General Session on Wednesday July 24 opens at 9:30am with the presentation by BDO Automotive on “The Dealership Landscape: Top 5 Risks and Opportunities.”

BDO Automotive said that the rapid return of supply, volatile economic conditions, significant government policy and an exploding Chinese new-energy vehicle market are just a few of the agitators to the automotive business.

BDO Automotive partners Mark Ward, Sam Venn and Randall Bryson will share their experience in navigating the current environment, providing tangible insight to the top risks faced by Australian dealers and the decisions that must be made to capitalise on available opportunities.

Patrick Tessier

The second presentation is a panel discussion on “Navigating Cyber Security in Today’s Digital Landscape.” 

Cyber security has emerged as a crucial concern for automotive dealerships, as seen most recently by the ransom threat to US DMS provider CDK Global. 

The presentation will be made up of moderator Ren Blanning, head of retail growth at Carsales; and the panel of Abobe principal strategist Ian Dejo; CyberCX chief strategy officer Alastair MacGibbon; and security general manager at Car Group, Stuart Noom.

The third presentation for the day will be a panel discussing the “Rise of EV China and what it means for Australia.”

A quarter of new vehicles sold already feature electrification and with a dozen more Chinese brands looking at launching new models into Australia, CarExpert presenters will analyse EV sentiment while Paul Maric previews the brands, vehicles and distribution models.

There will also be an expert panel discussing what this disruption means for consumer behaviour and its impact on dealers.

In the afternoon, there will be an important and not-to-be-missed presentation at 3.30pm “Navigating the Future of Automotive Retail” with 2024 NADA chairman Gary Gilchrist. 

Mr Gilchrist has had a remarkable journey in the industry, starting out selling cars in Tacoma and through tenacity, vision and leadership prowess, rising to preside over Gilchrist Chevrolet Buick  GMC, Inc. and chairmanship of NADA.

As NADA chairman, he brings a wealth of industry knowledge and a steadfast commitment to driving positive change. Of particular interest are his perspectives on navigating the evolving landscape of automotive retail and ways to foster a culture of innovation, resilience, and growth in an increasingly dynamic industry. 

Mr Tessier said “the AADA Convention & Expo is highly regarded as a leading international event for automotive dealers and I am delighted to announce the following international guests.”

• Mr. Gary Gilchrist – 2024 NADA Chairman, National Automobile Dealers Association USA
• Mr. Michael Regan – Senior Vice President, Industry Affairs, National Automobile Dealers Association USA
• Mr. Tim Reuss – CEO, Canadian Automobile Dealer Association (CADA)
• Ms. Sue Robinson – Director, National Franchised Dealers Association UK (NFDA)
• Mr. Shen Jinjun – Chairman, Chinese Automobile Dealers Association (CADA)
• Mr. Song Tao – Vice Chairman, Chinese Automobile Dealers Association (CADA)