The Vehicle Remarketing Association is forming three new committees, helping to drive forward activity in areas important to the industry body.

VRA chair Philip Nothard said the new committees will help help drive forward activity in areas important to the industry body

Announced at the recent 2021 Annual General Meeting, the three committees will cover industry trends, membership and recruitment and events.

The Industry Trends Committee, chaired by Marcus Blakemore, will help to identify key topics the sector needs to address and, with agreement from the VRA board, draft policies and positioning statements, alongside thought-leadership and good practice guides, to support members in dealing with them.

The Membership and Recruitment Committee, chaired by Cliff Deller, aims to further increase VRA membership by identifying prospects, as well as developing member retention and added value initiatives. Additionally, this committee will ensure the organisation has a strong onboarding process.

Finally, the Events Committee, chaired by Kathy Horsey, will provide support with organising events and creating links with other relevant organisations, as well as identifying topics, speakers, sponsors, exhibitors and more. The aim is to identify relevant fresh content and opportunities to maximise membership value.

VRA chair Philip Nothard commented: “These committees represent three existing areas of strength for the VRA but we want to drive forward our activities even further and we are very pleased that three very talented VRA board members have agreed to act as chairs. I’m looking forward to seeing the ideas that they develop over the coming months.”

The AGM also included a summary of the VRA’s activities over the last year, most of which has focused on the coronavirus crisis, and included in-depth presentations with two leading motor industry voices – Mike Hawes, chief executive at the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and John O’Hanlon, chief executive of Waylands Automotive – on current and future issues facing the remarketing sector.

Nothard said: “The subjects they raised certainty generated a high level of interest. These included the semiconductor shortage and its ongoing impact on new vehicle supply as well as the rapid digitalisation process that many dealers have undergone as a result of the pandemic.

“However, most of the discussion was reserved for EVs. Mike described them as a ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ technological change and there is huge interest across our sector in the transition to electrification.”