The programs revolve around the franchise code and what this critical development means for franchise dealers; a panel discussion on gender diversity by leading women in the car industry in dealerships and how to achieve it; a panel on the ramifications of changes to finance and insurance sales by the financiers who are working under the new rules; and a panel on Return On Investment in 2020 and beyond where experienced dealers discuss real-world initiatives that can be put in place immediately to boost the bottom line.
The event director, Patrick Tessier, said he chose the subjects for these four panel streams because they were the four most important areas dealers need to address in their businesses right now.
Here is a rundown on the panels and participants:
Panel: Franchise code and what it means for dealers
AADA last year succeeded in getting bipartisan political support to introduce a specific franchise code for the car retailing industry. The implications for dealers are immense and this panel will air the ramifications for auto retailers in Australia and hear about moves to protect dealers in other markets, especially the United States.
- Host: David Blackhall, Automotive Code Task Force, AADA
David Blackhall has been the driving force in securing the ear of politicians to the plight of car dealers who believe they are disadvantaged by the uneven bargaining power the OEMs have over their retailers. Although recently retired as the CEO of the AADA, Mr Blackhall is remaining on this year as part of the Automotive Code Task Force.
He has vast business experience both in automotive wholesale and retail as well as advertising, business management and accounting.
He has worked all over the world but mainly in Australia, the UK, Europe, United States and Taiwan with Ford, Jaguar and Land Rover. His assignments took in all aspects of these businesses.
Mr Blackhall was recently appointed non-executive director at Automotive Holdings Group (AHG).
- Andy Koblenz, executive vice-president, legal and regulatory affairs and general counsel of the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) in the US
Mr Koblenz represents NADA and dealer interests before federal and state agencies. His staff of attorneys specialise in franchise and state law, corporate law and federal regulatory affairs.
He is important on this panel because he is involved in all of the 50 state franchise codes in the US and in that role has a wealth of experience in why an automotive franchise code for dealers is so important.
- Evan Stents, partner, HWL Ebsworth Lawyers
Mr Stents is one of Australia’s leading automotive lawyers. He assists a broad range of automotive and franchising clients with commercial agreements, property and leasing disputes, corporations law applications, etc.
- Maria Townsend, partner, HWL Ebsworth Lawyers
Ms Townsend is nationally recognised for her expertise in the automotive industry by providing advice on operational legal issues, corporate compliance, commercial property transactions and consumer-related compliance.
- James Sturgess, national director, Macpherson Kelley
Mr Sturgess has deep and broad experience with motor dealers. He works closely with managing directors and senior management regarding their duties, strategy and performance in their businesses.
With a strong automotive history, he spent six years of his life in a small country dealership in rural Victoria where the family home was the dealership premises. His father was a Holden, BMW and Saab dealer over several decades and served on the Holden Dealer Council during the ’70s and ’80s.
Panel: Gender diversity in the dealership
Convention director Patrick Tessier told GoAutoNews Premium: “If the car industry had the same gender diversity we see in the real estate industry, it would be a lot better for us all.
“You see that Toyota commercial on TV where the guy goes into the showroom and he is greeted by that attractive lady in the red dress and how she greets you? Well, that doesn’t happen that often,” he said.
“But there are dealers in the country who are very good at gender diversity and what we are wanting to get across to everyone is that you should think outside what the normal sales team looks like because we should have more women at the coal face dealing with our customers.
“This panel discusses the importance of gender diversity in the workforce and how to achieve it.”
- Host: Andrea Culligan, engagement partner, Deloitte Private – Commercial Advisory
Ms Culligan is a highly awarded businesswoman, entrepreneur and mentor. She has built multi-million-dollar businesses, both in Australia and abroad, after beginning her working life in her father’s dealership.
- Rebecca Frizelle, chief operating officer, Frizelle Prestige
Ms Frizelle is a key shareholder at Frizelle Sunshine Automotive and PWA. She is one of the largest employers on the Gold Coast, with more than 800 people on the payroll.
- Edwina Gilbert, director, Phil Gilbert Motor Group
Ms Gilbert is also a non-executive director at carsales.com and NSW representative on the Hyundai National Dealer Council. Her role at Phil Gilbert Motor Group is to set the strategic direction for the dealership.
- Stefanee Lovett, principal, Mercurius Consulting
A political and public policy specialist, Ms Lovett calls on more than 20 years’ experience in public and corporate affairs to quickly distil issues and provide strategic advice to some of Australia’s most recognised brands and peak bodies including the AADA.
- Raelene Murphy, board member, Stillwell Motor Group
Ms Murphy has more than 30 years of experience in strategic, financial and operational management in a career that has specialised in merger and acquisition integration. Ms Murphy is a board member of the Stillwell Motor Group and a non-executive director of ASX-listed Bega Cheese Limited, Service Stream Limited and Tassal Group Limited. Her industry experience includes FMCG, supply chain, logistics and construction.
Panel: F&I 2020 and Beyond
Mr Tessier told GoAutoNews Premium: “I don’t reckon there is a dealer in this country who would want to miss this panel. The panel is made up of the leaders in the finance and insurance industry which is in massive transformation as we speak.
“They are going to talk about what F&I is going to look like in the next few years and, given all that has happened to F&I in the past 12 months and the change in the income levels to dealers, if I was a dealer I would love to hear what these blokes have to say about what they think my F&I department is going to look like.”
- Host: Chris Mandile, director, Deloitte Motor Industry Services
Mr Mandile has over 17 years’ automotive experience working across both Honda and Nissan. He held senior leadership roles across sales, marketing, franchise development, supply chain, financial services, training and aftersales, and service operations.
He has also led a training division and is a skilled trainer and facilitator. He is experienced in facilitating dealer groups, C-Suite executive coaching, leadership development and operational programs. Most recently, he has been working with both dealerships and OEMs on a number of projects across marketing, sales, aftersales, and helping navigate through the recent changes to F&I.
- John Chandler, president and CEO, Toyota Financial Services
Mr Chandler is the president and CEO of Toyota Finance Australia, with overall responsibility for the company’s retail finance, insurance and fleet management businesses.
He has been a driving force behind the strengthening and deepening of co-operation between TFA, TMCA and the Toyota dealer network to ensure that Toyota retains its position as Australia’s best-selling automotive brand for the 15th year in a row.
With 491 dealers throughout Australia using TFA, Mr Chandler will bring a powerful insight to the AADA Convention F&I panel session.
- Peter Jones managing director, Nissan Financial Services Australia and New Zealand
Mr Jones has more than 30 years’ experience within the Australian automotive sector across both the Toyota and Nissan brands. Nissan Financial Services Australia and New Zealand has an assets portfolio totalling around $6 billion and provides support for its automotive dealer operations in Australia and New Zealand.
- Malcolm Tilbrook, CEO, Eric Insurance Ltd
Mr Tilbrook is the CEO of Eric Insurance Ltd, which is a specialty general insurer in the automotive retail insurance space. He has had a distinguished career in financial services and has deep experience and a passion for the automotive dealer financial services industry. He has a strong connection with the dealer network and has been a significant contributor to the discussion and policy development of the sale of add-on insurance, within both the insurance industry, the dealer network and the regulators.
- Phil Waugh, national manager for auto finance, St George Bank and Bank of Melbourne
Mr Waugh is the national manager for auto finance with St George Bank and Bank of Melbourne under the Westpac Banking Corporation Business Bank’s Specialist Finance Team.
He leads the large national team which provides retail consumer auto loans, retail business auto loans, novated leasing and floorplan business lending to motor dealers. His team also partners with and provides business solutions for world-leading automotive manufacturers.
Mr Waugh is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (GAICD) and a current board member of the Australian Finance Industry Association (AFIA).
- Michael Winter, chief general manager – retail distribution, Allianz Australia
Mr Winter joined Allianz Australia in 1997. He has more than 20 years’ experience in the general insurance industry with 15 years directly relating to the financial institutions and the distribution of general and life insurance products.
As chief general manager of retail distribution, he focuses on the sales and distribution of personal insurance together with small business insurances through financial institution partners, motor dealers, manufacturers and financiers.
Panel: ROI 2020 and beyond
Referring to the Return-on-Investment panel, Mr Tessier said: “These dealers are going to talk about the disciplines you need to have in place in this market to get a profitable return on your investment.
“I deliberately chose these four panellists because they were not part of a big public company. I wanted panel participants who could relate more to dealers from mid-sized groups and dealerships.
“The theme might sound like it is a long way into the future but 2020 is only next year. The bottom line in this industry is that the future is now. It has arrived and the program is built around getting dealers to think about that,” he said.
- Host: Dale McCauley, partner, Deloitte Motor Industry Services
Mr McCauley leads Deloitte’s National Motor Industry Services practice. He has more than 21 years’ experience within the automotive industry. He works alongside retail motor dealers, manufacturers, financiers and legal advisers within the motor industry to provide specialist services ranging from benchmarking to performance improvement, specialist coaching and talent development programs. He was a key player in the development of the Profit Focus industry benchmarks and the first motor industry CRM benchmarks.
- Debbie Clark, director & dealer principal, Nepean Motor Group
Ms Clark is currently a director and dealer principal of Nepean Motor Group, one of western Sydney’s biggest dealership groups. She started in the industry in 1983 and became a dealer principal in 2000. She was made the chair of the NSW Nissan Dealer Council in 2016, and the national chairperson for the National Nissan Dealer Council, positions which she currently holds.
- Graeme Stewart, director, Gasmak Motor Group
Mr Stewart’s career in the automotive industry spans 39 years. A board member of AADA, Mr Stewart is the principal of Brighton Toyota and Lexus of Brighton which is the largest single-site retailer of Toyota and Lexus products. With an eye to future expansion, further investments in dealerships were made with his group now representing 10 OEM brands across 17 sites in Australia and New Zealand.
- Wade von Bibra, managing director, von Bibra Motor Group
A third-generation dealer, Mr von Bibra started in used cars and has since worked in every part of the business before assuming the position of group general manager of the von Bibra Motor Group in 2010. He is now managing director.
- Mark Woelders, managing director, Motorama Group
Mr Woelders is managing director of Motorama Mitsubishi, director at Motorama Holdings and board member of AADA. He started in the family business as a first-year apprentice in 1989 and became the third generation to run the business in 2007.
By John Mellor
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