AMA Group has appointed former Suncorp executive Andrew Mair as Group Chief Commercial Officer in a newly created role aimed at strengthening strategic relationships with the organisation’s key insurance customers.
AMA said Mair has extensive experience in the insurance industry, most recently in a senior role at Suncorp Insurance from 2008 until 2020, and with Zurich Insurance Group from 1989 to 2008. “This appointment will enhance the value our customers obtain from a consolidated strategic relationship with the group and deliver growth and development from the strength of these relationships for our business,” the AMA said in a market statement to the Australian Stock Exchange.
Effective tomorrow, the appointment of Mair follows the recent appointments of a National Operations Manager and CFO for the AMA panel business, and two non-executive board members. AMA said further senior appointments are expected to be announced shortly.
According to AMA, the changes will “enhance the capacity and resilience” of the group as it continues to expand its operations in the region.
The company’s statement also referenced its ongoing legal issues with former executives, saying the group has “entered into litigation with [its] former group CEO and other former senior executives to protect the assets of the group and to recover unauthorised expenses incurred by former senior executives”.
Rather than providing detailed comment on the litigation, the AMA statement focused on positives, announcing that repair volume has returned to near pre-COVID-19 levels and is expected to continue improving and “act as a tailwind” into the new financial year.
“Pleasingly, the resumption of more traditional pre-COVID driving customs, the popularity of domestic drive holidays, as well as the reluctance of many people to use public transport, in addition to the sustained periods of wet weather in the region during March and April, means that vehicle volumes into our workshops in recent months has continued to improve,” said AMA.
The group said it is also effectively managing COVID-19-related challenges such as rising costs and staff shortages.
“AMA continues to work closely and constructively with its major customers to mitigate any impact connected with disruptions to labour or parts available to the group, including any abnormal costs rises. As is being experienced in many industries, our business is proactively managing the headwinds of the current skilled labour shortfall being experienced at this time, primarily as a result of international border closures, and part supply and pricing issues. Encouragingly, parts supply is showing signs of returning to normal frequency which has improved volume throughput,” said the company.
AMA Group CEO Carl Bizon said it is pleasing to see vehicle volume returning to normal.
“The efforts of our team members and their focus on achieving great outcomes for our customers has enabled the group to maintain strong momentum post-COVID, and with the management changes currently underway, places us in a strong position to capitalise on opportunities for growth as these arise,” said Bizon.
“With just over three months at the helm, my focus has been on delivery of operational and financial performance and ensuring the group has the right people to deliver the continued growth and development of the business,” he added.
AMA said the group has access to financial resources to undertake acquisition opportunities that are strategically aligned with the growth and development of the business.
The statement also said the paint and consumables roll out to the Capital S.M.A.R.T network, acquired from Suncorp in late 2019, is complete and on track to “realise the acquisition case procurement benefits as volume returns”.
“The performance of the business is tracking in line with returning volume and AMA’s current trading expectations,” it said.