Paragon Group has announced the acquisition of Stobart Vehicle Services from Stobart Group, which will be rebranded as Paragon Vehicle Services, and the appointment of Mike Pilkington to managing director of Paragon Automotive.

Pilkington (pictured) joins Paragon from Manheim Group where he held the position of managing director of Manheim Remarketing. He has 30 years experience in the automotive sector and will be responsible for providing strategic direction and overseeing the day to day management of the Paragon Automotive business. 

He said:  “It’s extremely exciting to join a company with such exciting growth plans and following the completion of such an important acquisition for the company. 

“Alongside this, I am looking forward to drawing on my experience of the sector to deliver and build on the high standards of service Paragon customers have experienced.”

Stephen Hucklesby, chief executive, Paragon Group, said:  “I am delighted to welcome Mike to the Paragon team and look forward to working alongside him in the future. 

“Mike is a great asset to Paragon and brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience that will be fundamental to the business. 

“Mike joins us at an exciting time with the acquisition of Paragon Vehicle Solutions marking a major milestone for Paragon and consolidating our position as the UK’s market leader in vehicle processing and captive fleet management.” 

Alongside Pilkington’s new appointment, Paragon has announced that Andrew Hetzel has become integration director - finance. Steve Maltby will replace Hetzel as managing director of Fleet Solutions whilst retaining his responsibilities for Paragon Remarketing. Kevin Riddle, group finance director, and Neil Burrows, group sales and marketing director, both continue in their current roles for the expanded group.

Finally, the new Paragon Vehicle Services division will be led by Stephen Hucklesby as he oversees its integration into Paragon Group over the course of the next year.  Alongside this, he will become chief executive officer for the Paragon Group.

Paragon Vehicle Services will support automotive manufacturers and retailers with a range of core and specialist vehicle management services including new car preparation and the running of port operations. 

As part of the deal, Paragon will operate eight new sites in total with facilities at Corby, Portbury, Doncaster and five manufacturer locations and welcoming 500 new staff.  The deal does not include the Stobart Automotive logistics arm, which remains with Stobart Group.

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