IMI Management - Sarah Sillars

Sarah Sillars – Chief Executive

Chief Executive of the IMI since 2002, Sarah Sillars continues to spearhead a concerted campaign for the development and recognition of skilled individuals in the retail motor industry, underpinning the IMI’s mission to improve professionalism in the sector through ‘ethical competence.’

The IMI is the professional association for individuals working in the retail motor industry, which has 22,000 members. The IMI is also the regulatory body for the Automotive Technician Accreditation (ATA) scheme.

A highly respected industry commentator, Sarah has chaired and presented at many major conferences, seminars, awards evenings and industry events. She has a high media profile within the automotive arena and has appeared on BBC Business Breakfast, Radio 4’s ‘Today’ programme and BBC 5 Live amongst others.

Awarded ‘Industry Personality of the Year 2004’ and ‘Outstanding Achievement Award 2006’ by automotive magazines, AM and Motor Trader respectively, AM Magazine, Sarah is listed as the tenth most influential person in the UK motor industry and the ‘most powerful’ female executive, according to the 2007 AM Power List. In September 2008, Sarah was awarded the Outstanding Achievement Award by Bodyshop Magazine in recognition of the IMI’s work with ATA in the body repair sector.

Sarah was awarded an OBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List in June 2008 for services to skills training and the retail motor industry.

She has more than twenty five years of experience within the motor and retail industries, having begun her career as a management trainee with Marks & Spencer, later managing stores in England and Wales.