Pinewood Technologies Group has appointed Avril Palmer-Lavery as deputy chair and non-executive director.
Palmer-Lavery is a heavy hitter in automotive. She is the founder and executive chair of Constellation Automotive Group, the largest vertically integrated digital car marketplace.
She has served as CEO of Autologic Holdings, CEO of Universal Salvage and executive chairman of the Stobart Group.
Constellation operates companies across the automotive spectrum including dealer group Marshall Motors, which is ranked six in the Motor Trader Top 200 Dealer Groups with annual turnover of £3.7bn.
It also owns the UK’s biggest auction group BCA, the UK’s biggest car buying company webuyanycar and cinch, the online used car platform.
The appointment is timely. Pinewood was in play earlier this year with a bid from private equity group Apax, which ultimately pulled the plug on the bid citing “challenging market conditions.”
Pinewood, under CEO Bill Berman noted the Apax announcement and said it was “very confident” in the positive long-term prospects for the group.
Ian Filby, non-executive chairman of Pinewood.AI, said: “On behalf of the board, I am delighted to welcome Avril to Pinewood.AI.
“Her track record as a leader across the automotive value chain, gives her a rare combination of operational, commercial and governance experience.
“Her perspective will be a real asset to the Board as Pinewood.AI continues its next phase of growth, and I look forward to her contribution.”
Palmer-Lavery said: “Pinewood.AI is a quality UK technology business with a differentiated cloud-native platform, and a clear opportunity in the global dealer management software market.
“I am looking forward to working with Ian and the Board to support the next phase of the Group’s development.”
