Uni-Select Inc. has announced that Neil Croxson, currently chief financial officer (CFO) of The Parts Alliance, has been appointed to the position of president and chief operating officer. Croxon succeeds Peter Sephton, who will be retiring after ensuring an orderly transition over a three-month period.
Croxson joined The Parts Alliance as CFO in 2015 and has been playing a pivotal role in the expansion of the company’s network through selected acquisitions and the opening of 15 company-owned stores. He has worked in close collaboration with Sephton to deliver the group’s financial strategy and increase market coverage in the U.K. and Ireland.
“I wish to thank Peter for building The Parts Alliance into a formidable force and market leader in the U.K. auto parts distribution industry and help us grow the business further after Uni-Select acquired it in 2017. We are glad that Peter will continue to work with us as a special adviser and represent our interests in associated trade bodies, such as Nexus International,” said André Courville, interim president and CEO of Uni-Select. “Neil Croxson, our new president and COO of The Parts Alliance, has already demonstrated great leadership capabilities and we are delighted to see him progress into such a strategic role within the organization.”
“I would like to thank all my colleagues in The Parts Alliance, Uni-Select, suppliers and other industry professionals who have helped our journey to build a market leader, and I wish Neil and the team the best of luck in what will be a great onward journey,” said Sephton.
“I am honored to be taking on this new role,” said Croxson. “We had an excellent performance during our first full year under the Uni-Select umbrella, and under Peter’s leadership, we implemented strong foundations to enable us to capture future market opportunities. I look forward to building on this momentum.”
As CFO of The Parts Alliance, Croxson developed and oversaw the delivery of The Parts Alliance’s financial strategy, leading the finance team to deliver back office services and providing business support. Prior to joining The Parts Alliance, he was the CFO for Rexel Northern Europe, a group distributing electrical materials. He also worked as a financial controller at CFAO, a French group distributing vehicles, parts and operating workshops throughout Africa.
An interim CFO at The Parts Alliance will be put in place during the transition period and until the conclusion of the executive search for Croxon’s replacement as as CFO.