The Vehicle Remarketing Association’s (VRA) online Annual General Meeting to be held on 1 July 2020 will attempt to tackle the difficult pertinent subject of COVID-19’s impact on the remarketing sector.

Sam Watkins, chair of the VRA

Three different speakers will discuss four different scenarios including: an easing of lockdown with coronavirus under control; a national second wave; localised outbreaks; and a successful inoculation programme.

The speakers include: Lee Swinerd, managing director – advisory at KPMG, who will look at the general economic implications; Mike Jones, chair of ASE Global, who will assess the automotive sector; and Dr Justin Varney, director at Birmingham City Council, who will cover the public health angle.

VRA chair Sam Watkins said: “Coronavirus is very likely to continue to affect remarketing in many different kinds of ways and this webinar session, which follows our main AGM business, is designed to help industry professionals understand some of the issues that they could well find themselves facing over the next year and further into the future.

“Throughout the coronavirus crisis so far, we have been holding regular online sessions for our members to help them cope with issues on a day-to-day basis. Now that there is perhaps a moment of breathing space, this seems like a good time to examine how what now seems to be called ‘the new normal’ will develop over time.”

Speaker sessions were first added to the VRA’s AGM last year. The VRA was established in 2010 by senior executives from companies which between them handle, sell, inspect, transport or manage more than 1.5 million used vehicles every year.