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Ian Straw, Head of Service Operations

Ian Straw

Head of Service Operations·Mercedes-Benz Kuwait

Kuwait

Bachelor's degree, Automotive retail management

Work experience

Total years of experience: 28 years, 9 months

Head of Service Operations

January 2025 - Present

Mercedes-Benz Kuwait

Kuwait

January 2025 - Present

Responsible for the flagship aftersales operation for Mercedes-Benz Kuwait, leading a team
of 130 colleagues across service, workshop and support functions.
Operating at significant scale, the business delivers approximately 67, 500 labour hours
annually and generates labour sales in excess of 2.5 million Kuwaiti Dinar (£6.4m / $8.1 m).
Brought into the business to strengthen operational performance, implement European
manufacturer standards and provide stability across all aspects of the service operation.
Current areas of focus include workshop productivity, colleague performance, recruitment,
customer experience, process discipline and operational consistency across both front and
back of house functions.
Company industry:
Automotive Dealership & Distributor

Head of Aftersales

January 2024 - January 2025

Mercedes-Benz of Reading

United Kingdom

January 2024 - January 2025

Initially brought in to recover an underperforming service department, within seven months I
was promoted to Head of Aftersales to lead operational improvements across the wider
aftersales business. This was a unique position within the group, acting as the only aftersales
manager within our Mercedes-Benz division.
Stabilising and increasing the team was the primary objective, which resulted in significant
improvements across profitability, customer satisfaction and colleague retention.
During this time and working closely with the smart (UK) team, I implemented the
smart(Mercedes-Benz/Geely) franchise across sales and aftersales business, both in terms of
overseeing training, dealer standards and workshop preparation.
Given the improvements and continued success, I was offered the opportunity to step into
the head of business role however, I had already accepted the role in Kuwait.
Company industry:
Automotive Dealership & Distributor

Real estate and property management

October 2023 - January 2024

Self-employed

United Kingdom •Remote

October 2023 - January 2024

This involved overseeing property remediation and renovation works, coordinating with
contractors, legal representatives, and executors, and managing the eventual sale and
closure of the estate assets.
Company industry:
Real Estate

Head of Business

January 2023 - October 2023

Mercedes-Benz of Heathrow

London, United Kingdom

January 2023 - October 2023

Brought in to steady and recover an ailing aftersales business that was losing money,
personnel, and delivering sub-optimal performance financially and in customer satisfaction.
A thorough review of the operation highlighted issues in almost all areas, requiring direct
operational leadership across all aspects of the business.
Stability and significant reduction in cash debt, work in progress, process and daily
operational efficiency saw the slow road to recovery start to take effect.
Front-of-house and workshop reorganisation demonstrated strong improvements across all
measures, with manufacturer CSI and Google reviews demonstrating customer satisfaction
to be improving.
The six-monthly staff satisfaction survey (March & September) delivered the top score for the
London market area, further demonstrating the improvements to be taking the business in
the desired direction.
Company industry:
Automotive Dealership & Distributor

Head of Business

October 2021 - January 2023

Mercedes-Benz West London

London, United Kingdom

October 2021 - January 2023

Led the opening and operational transition of the newly developed £25M flagship
dealership following a 30-month temporary relocation.
This state-of-the-art dealership was the flagship for the Mercedes-Benz Retail Group (part of
the Mercedes-Benz AG Own-Retail group), housing a 20-vehicle showroom, 1 6-vehicle car
tower, and 33 bay workshop spread across three levels.
During a challenging time for Mercedes-Benz from a new-car stock perspective, a sustained
used-car performance, coupled with a strong aftersales team and significant trade parts
operation ensured that Mercedes-Benz West London opened its doors and performed well
against expectation.
Company industry:
Automotive Dealership & Distributor

Retail Operations Manager

January 2019 - January 2021

Mercedes-Benz London

London, United Kingdom •Remote

January 2019 - January 2021

Promoted to a group role managing the parts retail operations across 17 sites. Conducting
performance assessments and reviews, implementing best practice, and building high
performing teams and operational consistency.
The group operated with a stock holding of £12M and turnover of £82M in 2019.
Full operational responsibility during the COVID 19 pandemic saw four sites manage and
maintain key-worker support across London for both passenger car and LCV vehicles.
Implementing new ways of working, processes and policy changes and staff management of
100+ colleagues saw the very best of the Mercedes-Benz Retail Group at a strange, difficult,
and rewarding time, delivering consistently high levels of customer satisfaction and
operational and financial performance.
Company industry:
Automotive Dealership & Distributor

Head of Aftersales & Site

January 2010 - January 2019

Mercedes-Benz Brooklands

United Kingdom

January 2010 - January 2019

Based at Mercedes-Benz World in Weybridge, Surrey, Mercedes-Benz Brooklands was the
manufacturers flagship UK retail operation, AMG Performance Centre, SLR McLaren
specialist and Maybach Centre of Excellence.
Initially appointed to lead the aftersales operation, comprising a 32-bay workshop and large
front-of-house operation, I was later promoted to senior site leadership responsibility for the
overall retail operation at Brooklands.
At the time, Mercedes-Benz Retail Group did not operate with Head of Business positions,
therefore the role carried full operational responsibility on behalf of the Operations Director
across sales, aftersales, customer experience and site performance.
The business operated at significant scale and represented one of the highest-profile
Mercedes-Benz retail environments in the UK, requiring exceptionally high standards across
customer experience, operational discipline, presentation and colleague performance.
Company industry:
Automotive Dealership & Distributor

Aftersales Manager

January 2008 - January 2010

Stratstone BMW

United Kingdom

January 2008 - January 2010

Company industry:
Automotive Dealership & Distributor

Aftersales Manager

January 2006 - December 2009

Cooper BMW

United Kingdom

January 2006 - December 2009

Company industry:
Automotive Dealership & Distributor

Dealer Principal

January 2004 - January 2006

Cooper BMW

United Kingdom

January 2004 - January 2006

Company industry:
Automotive Dealership & Distributor

Gen Aftersales Manager

December 2001 - December 2003

Cooper BMW

United Kingdom

December 2001 - December 2003

Company industry:
Automotive Dealership & Distributor

Aftersales Manager

January 1999 - November 2001

Murketts BMW

United Kingdom

January 1999 - November 2001

Company industry:
Automotive Dealership & Distributor

Service Manager

January 1997 - January 1999

Scotthall BMW

United Kingdom

January 1997 - January 1999

Company industry:
Automotive Dealership & Distributor

Education

Loughborough University

December 2008

December 2008

Bachelor's degree, Automotive retail management

United Kingdom

Skills

BUSINESS PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
Intermediate
BUSINESS PERFORMANCE MANAGEMENT
Intermediate
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Intermediate
CUSTOMER SERVICE
Intermediate
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE STRATEGY CX
Intermediate
CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE STRATEGY CX
Intermediate
EVENT MANAGEMENT
Intermediate
EVENT MANAGEMENT
Intermediate
GOAL ORIENTED
Intermediate
GOAL ORIENTED
Intermediate
LEADERSHIP
Intermediate
LEADERSHIP
Intermediate
OPERATIONS
Intermediate
OPERATIONS
Intermediate
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Intermediate
ORGANIZATIONAL STRUCTURE
Intermediate
PROFITABILITY ANALYSIS
Intermediate
PROFITABILITY ANALYSIS
Intermediate
SALES
Intermediate
SALES
Intermediate

Training and Certifications

Certifications
Post Grad. Certificate in Collaborative Leadership