The Smith Motor Group has marked its centennial year with the introduction of a new leadership team that will drive the business forward into its next century with managing director Hans Ehmann setting the wheels in motion to transition leadership of the business to group director James Ehmann joined by group COO and CFO, Linh Bui.
James Ehmann has been a director of the Smith Motor Group for nearly 15 years and heads up the group’s fleet management and leasing business, StreetFleet, which he has expanded to operate nationally as well as in New Zealand. Linh Bui was appointed Smith Motor Group Chief Operating Officer (COO) in January this year and is also the group CFO – a position he has held since 2019.
The group will also trade under an exciting new brand ‘One SMG’ that brings its businesses together with a renewed focus to deliver the very best service to customers across Australia and New Zealand, particularly in regional centres where 90% of its businesses are located.
The Smith Motor Group is a silent hero in the South Australian economy comprising 18 businesses, representing 17 brands and employing more than 300 people. Its companies comprise vehicle and caravan dealerships, fleet management & leasing and crash repair and is a proud supporter of South Australian regional communities where many of its dealerships are located, namely Port Augusta, Port Pirie, Port Lincoln, Whyalla Victor Harbor and Clare, as well as in Broken Hill and Horsham.
One SMG’s origins stem back to the former Holden dealership Smith Motor Company in Port Adelaide founded in 1922 by brothers Bert and Mort Smith.
Under James Ehmann and Linh Bui, the group will drive an effort to expand the group’s crash repair and body-shop service offering. There is also planned growth in its caravan division, which currently comprises Dave Benson Caravans, and to build on its vehicle fleet and leasing businesses already represented across ANZ.