F&I Management & Training

Marshall Motor Group is understood to be looking to join the stock market.

Sources from the City are widely quoted in the weekend press as expecting such a move ‘within weeks’, while investment bank Investec is said to be sounding out investors for such a floatation, possibly by the end of this month. Investec declined to comment, however.

The company, run by chief executive Daksh Gupta, operates 71 dealerships representing 23 vehicle brands. Turnover last year was £1.1bn, which places it ahead of quoted auto retailer Vertu but behind Pendragon and Lookers. Investec has not commented on the move.

Marshall sells 55,000 new and used cars a year and repairs or maintains on a further 450,000 vehicles. In addition to its dealerships it runs five accident repair sites and a filling station.

Parent company the Marshall Group is family owned – it is run by Robert Marshall. It also runs aerospace and defence businesses and owns Cambridge Airport.

Mr Gupta has held his present job for seven years. He has, however, had a taste of running a publicly quoted company in a previous role as chief operating officer of the claims handler Accident Exchange.

DATED: 09.03.15

FEED: ARN