GRADUATE TAKES THE WHEEL AT BELFAST’S JAGUAR LAND ROVER BASE 
31 July 2019
Charles Hurst Group, Northern Ireland’s biggest car retailer, has appointed company stalwart Alan Thompson as Head of Business at its signature £8 million Jaguar and Land Rover (JLR) base.
From Ballyclare in County Antrim, Alan graduated from Queen's in 1993 with a degree in Business Administration and Computer Science, having joined Savills Vauxhall in Lisburn in 1986 on their fast-track programme. He became business manager of the company in 1996 just one decade later.
In 2005, Alan moved to Charles Hurst as franchise manager for Nissan in the Belfast, Newtownabbey and Newtownards branch locations.
Managing a team of 50 staff in his new role, Alan takes up his senior position at the Charles Hurst Jaguar and Land Rover team one year after the company revealed its 40,000 square ft. luxury showroom, the first to be opened in Northern Ireland as a key part of the brand’s £16 million UK-wide retailer initiative, which features the JLR signature ‘Arch’ concept, housing both brands under one roof.
Since then, more than 20 new roles have been created at the premium franchise across technical, sales and management areas in what is now among the UK and Ireland’s top-performing Jaguar Land Rover outlets.
Charles Hurst Group operations director, Colin McNab, said: “I’m delighted to confirm Alan’s appointment to the top team at Jaguar Land Rover Belfast.
“A true leader with a warm and welcoming personality, I believe that his passion and commitment for this outstanding premium brand, along with his experience and capability, will continue to develop our strength within the industry and our priority to ensure unrivalled customer service and care.”
Alan Thompson said: “Jaguar Land Rover is an exciting, forward-looking and ambitious brand and I’m excited about the possibilities ahead.
“The investment made to date by Charles Hurst in the site, and in our people, reflects the huge strength of our commitment to these world-class, innovative brands and our pledge to provide the very best for our customers and staff.”
The company, which produces the Jaguar XJ, XF, XE, F-Type and the all-electric I-Pace model, as well as a range of top-selling Land Rover models across a range of budgets, is already focused on the development of driverless cars that will reshape the entire motor industry.
JLR, which has been endorsed by a wide range of well-known brand ambassadors, including Bear Grylls, Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Ben Saunders, earlier this month confirmed it is investing hundreds of millions of pounds to build a range of innovative electric vehicles at its Castle Bromwich plant in Birmingham.
Part of the Lookers Group, Charles Hurst is the north’s largest motor retailer, representing 20 brands across seven sites including its 20-acre Belfast headquarters, the largest automotive park in Europe.
Full story on Charles Hurst Group website.
To submit graduate news items, or for general enquiries about this story, please contact Gerry Power, Communications Officer, Development and Alumni Relations Office, Queen's University Belfast or telephone: +44 (0)28 9097 5321.
Photo credit (headline): MikesPhotos from Pixabay
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