The NFDA Spring Ball was pleased to return to the Grove in Hertfordshire on Saturday 22 April 2023. The event brought together dealers, manufacturers and senior automotive stakeholders who enjoyed an evening of fine dining, entertainment, and networking opportunities.
TV presenter Mark Durden-Smith returned to The Grove to host the event with his uniquely engaging style. In addition, NFDA’s guest speaker for the evening was well-renowned comedian, Reginald D. Hunter.
After a champagne reception and a three-course meal, Mark Durden-Smith and NFDA Chairman David Newman hosted the Awards ceremony.
Manufacturer Partner of the Year
Winner: Kia UK Limited
Kia UK Limited won thanks to the ongoing strong relationship with their dealer network and their outstanding performance in the NFDA Winter 2022/23 edition of the Dealer Attitude Survey. We were pleased to have Paul Philpot, President and CEO of Kia UK Limited in attendance to collect the award.
Industry Partner of the Year Award
Winner: Auto Trader
The Industry Partner of the Year was awarded to Auto Trader as a huge thank you for their continuous support to the automotive retailing sector, and the NFDA, with their vast amount of knowledge, data and market trends. The award was presented to Ian Plummer, Auto Trader Commercial Director.
Industry Personality of the Year Award
Winner: Darren Edwards, CEO of Sytner
Thanks to his tireless work to drive innovation within the industry and also to promote the NFDA to dealers, Darren Edwards picked up this long-standing award with many staple industry names earning this over the years. On the night, Melvin Rogers, Director of Human Resources for Sytner joined the stage to collect the Award on behalf of Darren.
Green Dealer Award (Under 10 sites)
Winner: Wessex Garages
This was awarded to Managing Director Chris Wiseman. Wessex Garages have not only been a huge supporter of the Electric Vehicle Approved (EVA) scheme, by being one of the first networks to have all of their sites accredited, they have now reinforced this with complete re-accreditation which comes after 2 years of accreditation.
Green Dealer Award (Over 10 sites)
Winner: Trust Ford
This award was presented to Stuart Mustoe, CEO of Trust Ford. Trust Ford have been avid supporters of the EVA programme, accrediting and re-accrediting each of their sites to being 100% approved. On top of this, they have recently placed orders for their EVA marketing tool kit, to assist their promotions of accreditation to consumers, helping to build the brand of EVA and highlighting to the public that they are at the forefront of electric retail.
The Green Manufacturer of the Year Award
Winner: Kia UK Limited
This award recognises the important steps taken by a car manufacturer to work closely with its dealer network and assist retailers in meeting the demand for alternative fuel vehicles. Kia UK Limited received the highest average score when dealers were asked “How satisfied are you with the battery electric vehicle products your manufacturer currently offers” in the latest Dealer Attitude Survey. Paul Philpot returned to the stage to collect the Award.
The NFDA Chairman’s Award
Winner: Gavin Forbes, Group Customer Relations Manager for Arnold Clark
Our brand-new award for the NFDA Spring Ball, the NFDA Chairman’s Award, chosen by David Newman. This award recognises an individual within the industry that has gone above and beyond to support the NFDA this year.
Following the awards, a moment of congratulations was offered to NFDA’s sister association, the National Association for Motor Auctions (NAMA), which represents motor auctions sites across the UK, for their recently incredible achievement for being awarded the coveted King’s Award for Enterprise. NAMA Chairman, Andrew Walker, joined David Newman on the stage.
At the Ball, over £2000 was raised for the automotive industry charity, BEN through charitable donations.
NFDA would like to thank our headline sponsors Allianz and co-sponsors Motor Industry Legal Services (MILS) for supporting the Spring Ball.
Sue Robinson, NFDA Chief Executive, said: “We look forward to hosting the NFDA Spring Ball every year, bringing many industry stakeholders together for a night of celebration. This year was another huge success, and we hope all attendees enjoyed their night. We would like to say a thank you to our sponsors this evening, as well as everyone who donated generously to support BEN, our Automotive Industry Charity. Finally, a huge congratulations to our award winners, your support for the NFDA and the automotive industry does not go unnoticed.”
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