Fresh perspective: Richard England says he will thoroughly consider “all potential opportunities to maximise value for AHG shareholders” as Australia’s biggest automotive retailer considers AP Eagers’ unsolicited takeover bid.

AUTOMOTIVE Holdings Group (AHG) Limited has appointed Richard England as its new chairman.

Mr England fills the position made vacant in April last year when Robert McEniry stepped down after being diagnosed with a serious health issue. Mr McEniry died two months later.

John Groppoli has been serving as acting chairman, but the company – Australia’s largest automotive retailer – has now announced that Mr England will take on the role after a “comprehensive search process” that began a year ago and is still subject to ratification by shareholders at AHG’s annual general meeting in November.

In a statement, AHG said Mr England will bring to the position more than 25 years’ experience in non-executive director and chair roles with listed and unlisted companies across retail, financial services, insurance, healthcare, innovation and infrastructure.

Mr England is currently chairman of QANTM Intellectual Property Ltd – an ASX-listed intellectual property services business – and is a non-executive director of Bingo Industries Limited, Japara Healthcare Limited and Nanosonics Limited.

Until recently, he was also a non-executive director of Atlas Arteria (formerly Macquarie Atlas Roads) and chairman of Ruralco Holdings Limited.

AHG, which is currently contending with a takeover bid mounted by rival AP Eagers Ltd, emphasised Mr England’s experience with Bingo Industries and Japara Healthcare in particular, noting that both have “experienced challenging operating conditions in recent years”.

“His experience will assist the board and its advisers to consider the current unsolicited takeover offer from AP Eagers, the offer period for which extends to 16 September 2019, and allow the management team to focus on executing on their previously announced initiatives to improve financial performance,” the company said.

AHG said that prior to his non-executive career, Mr England “had a long and distinguished executive career in professional services with Peat Marwick (now KPMG) and Ernst and Young and was successively a partner in those businesses for more than 12 years”.

Mr England said he was “looking forward to making a contribution and thoroughly considering all potential opportunities to maximise value for AHG shareholders”.

“I am honoured to have been asked to join the board of AHG at a time of significant transformation and opportunity,” he said.

By Terry Martin