James Brearley is the former UK CEO of Inchcape UK, having left the company in early 2022 after having achieved the objectives he outlined when first hired. Originally from West Midlands, United Kingdom, Brearley has worked in the automotive industry for 38 years. His tempered approach kept Inchcape UK from potential financial hardship during the COVID-19 pandemic as the company showed steady profits despite an uncertain economic climate.
He quickly rose through the ranks at the onset of his career. His first engagement in the retail motor trade was as a car cleaner and driver with Jessups Ford he rose rapidly at Bill Boddice Garages owned by the renowned motorcycle racer of the same name and then joined the Mann Egerton-Inchcape brand through acquisition. Shortly after joining Mann Egerton-Inchcape he was promoted to branch manager at the age of 23 and lauded for his prowess for talent management as well as dealership management. These traits helped Brearley throughout his career.
James Brearley joined Pendragon in the 1990s, that encompassed oversight of luxury brand dealerships, as varied as Porsche, Ferrari and Aston Martin, and also included the integration of 22 Vauxhall dealerships purchased by Pendragon. Brearley drove financial performance while managing and integrating multiple acquisitions into Stratstone during that decade.
Rising to the role of Franchise Group Director, he oversaw 44 sites and was responsible for growing the business through tight controls, a culture of caring, and stellar manufacturer relationships by consistently delivering exceptional results for all brand partners. As part of his success, Brearley also carefully monitors the wider economy in order to take advantage of short term and long term strategies.
He occupied this position for three years and was responsible for the Jaguar Group which included companies such as Jaguar, Aston Martin, and Chrysler. He was later promoted to Divisional Managing Director of the Stratstone Premium Division, part of Pendragon, and managed the Ford Premium Automotive Group Brands including Ferrari and Porsche. During his time at Pendragon, James Brearley proved his worth as a business leader by facilitating the company’s growth from eight sites to one of the largest automotive retailers in the United Kingdom with nearly 400 sites.
James Brearley served as the Managing Director of Stratstone for seven years. Under his trustworthy leadership, the company recorded growth, year after year, in all areas. Brearley was honored for his achievements with group awards from BMW, Mini, and Porsche , Ferrari and others and personal awards for long term services to Aston Martin as well as with recognition and credit from senior leadership for his pivotal direction and contributions.
In January 2017, James Brearley was headhunted for the position of UK CEO for Inchcape UK. Staying true to his style of management, he joined with a five-year action plan in mind. Using this plan, he implemented a new business structure, maximised used car opportunities, and digitalised the customer experience. This position saw him being entrusted with 4,500 employees and the company’s £2.0 billion annual turnover. James Brearley did not fail to impress as the company survived the economic uncertainty of the pandemic with great ease. Under his leadership, it was reported that Inchcape UK exceeded expectations and that the company significantly over delivered against expectations.
Having successfully completed his five-year plan and contract, James Brearley decided to leave Inchcape UK in November 2021 for a new and exciting challenge. His work has earned him the appreciation of Duncan Tait, Inchcape Global Chief Executive, who said, “I am grateful to James for his contribution to Inchcape over the years, and particularly for his work with me in the past year on the development of our new strategy.” When asked how he had been able to achieve these results, James Brearley emphasised the importance of employee satisfaction. He understood that the pandemic was an uncertain time for everyone, and amidst this growing uncertainty, it was important that the best staff was retained, well-compensated, and provided job security. When he had joined, he felt the Inchcape UK had not been taking full advantage of cost efficiencies offered by digitalisation. Once he had brought the company in line with the developments in retail over the last three years, growth was bound to follow.
Alongside his professional aspirations, James Brearley has been actively involved in philanthropy. He is a trustee for Making a Difference, a charity located in Solihull, West Midlands. He is also credited along with a handful of founding Directors of SWHC PLC with restoring the world’s oldest operating motorsport venue the world famous “shelsley walsh Hillclimb”.
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