Former ASDA CEO Andy Bond joins Euro Garages as chairman

Euro Garages, the Blackburn-based forecourt retailer, has appointed Andy Bond, the former chairman and CEO of ASDA, as executive chairman.

Andy, who joins with immediate effect, will make an undisclosed investment in the business alongside owners, Mohsin and Zuber Issa, who founded the company in 2001 with a single petrol filling station in Bury.

Euro Garages is the UK's second largest independent forecourt retailer and the sector's fastest-growing player, with a portfolio of 70 sites across the North of England and the Midlands. The business has grown sales 150 per cent in the last five years from £117m to £285m and employs around 1,000 people.

Owning and operating predominantly BP-branded filling stations, it has recently launched successful partnerships with several leading brands, bringing SPAR convenience stores, Subway and Burger King eateries and Greggs bakery stores onto its estate.

Its model has been to acquire and redevelop underperforming sites, changing the concept of the traditional urban petrol filling stations and bringing greater value and convenience to customers.

Last year, it also signed a licensing deal with Starbucks to open up to 50 drive-thru outlets over the next five years – the coffee company's first rollout of the concept in the UK.

Commenting on the appointment, Andy Bond said: "I've been hugely impressed by the business and the team at Euro Garages. In just 10 years, it has achieved significant scale in the sector and earned a well-deserved reputation for innovation, quality and customer service – values which are real success drivers in a retail business. I'm looking forward to helping the team continue its impressive growth."

Mohsin Issa, Director of Euro Garages, said: "Andy's track record speaks for itself. As well as significant retail and management expertise, he brings enormous drive and energy to the team, which is critical in an ambitious, high-growth business like ours. I'm confident his appointment will help us accelerate the momentum we've created over the last 10 years and deliver our growth strategy."

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