Motor Trader has lined up Sarah Furness, an ex-RAF combat helicopter pilot and Squadron Leader, as the star speaker for the Leaders Brunch 2026.
The Leaders Brunch 2026 is a premium, invitation-only strategy forum for successful franchised and independent dealer group leaders. It will be held at the Kia Oval, London, on Thursday 29 January 2026.
Furness is now a bestselling author, mindfulness coach, and keynote speaker. She combines high-pressure military experience with practical cognitive techniques to help leaders and teams thrive—particularly under pressure.
Her keynote on the day will cover topics such as resilience, emotional intelligence, peak performance, and courageous leadership.
Her talks bring the kind of perspective that flying into combat zones gives you
Leading figures lined up for the Expert Panel include John O’Hanlon, CEO of the award-winning and fast-expanding dealer group Waylands Automotive
Also in the line-up is Rygor Group director Kate Ruberry-Shoemack, winner of the Dealer Inspirational Leader of the Year at the Women in Motor Industry Awards.
Motor finance is a key issue for dealers going into 2026 and the panel includes David Hammersley, Business and F&I Manager at the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA).
Steve Young, MD of the highly regarded ICDP consultancy is taking part alongside Umesh Samani, chairman of the Independent Motor Dealers Association, representing independent dealers.
Registration for the Leaders Brunch is now open. Attendance is free, by invitation, and limited to two senior representatives per company.
All registrations will be reviewed to ensure eligibility, and confirmed delegates will receive full event details and the programme closer to the date.
Attendees will include Group CEOs, MDs, COOs, dealer principals and directors of strategy, digital, innovation and marketing.
Also attending will be senior leaders from the UK’s most successful franchised and independent dealer groups, many of them winners in Motor Trader Industry awards, for franchised, independent and commercial vehicle dealers.
