Ireland's largest private automotive retailer and distributor, the Harris Group, has announced plans for a new showroom in Dublin as part of its "strategic restructuring." The company's CEO, Denise Harris, says the 2024 "transformation" of the company will position the group for "long-term success."
New leadership team
The Harris Group's restructure includes the appointment of a new senior management team, led by chairperson and CEO, Denise Harris. The wife of late company founder Robert 'Pino' Harris, she will be joined at the top of the company by four new executive directors, who will run the sales and distribution, after-sales, parts and assembly and training parts of the business, as well as finance and IT functions.
Brian Patterson joins the business as managing director, with responsibility for the group's growth, while Mark Barrett is now managing director of group franchises, with responsibility for sales and dealer development. He will also be responsible for the UK and right-hand-drive European markets, for which Harris has the franchise for the Maxus brand.
Those two will be joined by John Keogh, who is in charge of retail operations and will oversee retail sales, service and parts, and Barry McGrane, the new chief financial officer. Finally, Nigel Birkmyre hsa joined the board to provide "counsel and support" to the management team.
According to Harris, the restructuring is designed to "prepare Harris Group for its next phase of growth" and "future-proof" the business. The company, which owns Ireland's largest commercial vehicle retail sales centre as well as holding the largest parts distribution centre in the country, is forecasting double-digit growth in 2024.
New digs
The other major part of the restructuring involves the creation of a new customer showroom at the firm's Naas Road headquarters in west Dublin. Just minutes from Junction 9 of the M50, the 24-acre site is already home to marque brands including Isuzu, Maxus and Chinese bus brand Higer Bus and Coach.
However, Harris Group has announced plans for a new customer showroom at the site, and plans have been approved for an expansion of the training academy, which offers electric vehicle training for technicians within the group and across the dealer network.
Across all its brands and territories, the company has more than 120 independent dealerships, and that number is expected to grow by 15 per cent in 2024. That will be supplemented by a recruitment drive to swell the ranks, despite staff numbers increasing by 30 per cent in the past three years.
"We have ambitious targets for double digit growth across all of our brands in both Ireland and the UK and are growing our dealership network while also investing heavily in training," said Denise Harris. "The redevelopment of our Dublin headquarters will result in a more open site meaning fleet, commercial and private buyers can visit our new public showrooms at their leisure and meet with our commercial automotive experts.
"There is a new energy that is being felt right across our business as a result of the significant changes we are making. Backed by an incredible team of visionaries, I am confident that the Harris Group will continue to grow at pace, while being recognised as both an industry leader and a pioneer in new and alternative energy vehicles for many years to come."