With almost 100 delegates already registered, the Vehicle Remarketing Association (VRA) has finalised the speaker line-up and sponsors for its 2026 Automotive Summit, with City Auction Group announced as headline sponsor for this year’s must-attend event.
Taking place at Warwick University on Wednesday 25 November, the free-to-attend event will provide an in-depth overview of the used vehicle sector and the wider motor industry as it heads into 2027.
The day consists of three sessions. “The Wider Picture” features Glynn Jones of the Bank of England on the UK’s economic outlook; Ben Banfield of the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles on zero emissions and government policy; David Bailey of Birmingham Business School on the UK motor industry; and Felippe Munoz, independent motor industry specialist, on the global picture for motor manufacturing.
“Remarketing and Fleets” features Paul Hollick of the Association of Fleet Professionals, who looks at the latest issues facing fleets. At the same time, Chris Ashley of the Road Haulage Association assesses the current state of the van and truck sector. There will also be interviews with Gary Burns of Arval UK and Michael Tomalin of City Auction Group.
Finally, “Remarketing and Retail” includes Nikolaus Mayerhofer of AVILOO leading a discussion on battery testing; Paul Hilton of Jato Dynamics with the latest on new entrants; and Graeme Potts of Eden Motor Group on the challenges facing motor retailers in 2027. The event will also feature a panel discussion with Jonathan Butler, VRA legal counsel.
In addition to headline sponsor City Auction Group, support for the event also comes from Aviloo, session sponsor Jato, and associate sponsors Geldards and Brego.
Michael Tomalin, CEO of City Auction Group, said: “The VRA Summit is one of the highlights of the remarketing calendar and we’re delighted to be able to be the main sponsor for 2026. We’re hugely looking forward to seeing many of our existing and potential customers on the day.”
Zaiga Jinkinson, client relationship director, added: “The remarketing sector remains highly dynamic with many important trends emerging, and with such a stellar line-up of speakers, delegates will get a comprehensive briefing on the challenges and opportunities in the year ahead.
Nikolaus Mayerhofer, founder of AVILOO, added: “We’ve had a rewarding long-term relationship with the VRA and the annual Summit is always superb, providing a comprehensive briefing on the current shape of the used vehicle sector. It’s a pleasure to be able to support the event.”
Philip Nothard, chair at the VRA, said: “We’d like to say a huge thank you to our sponsors for making the Summit possible. Without their help, we couldn’t create an event of this quality while keeping attendance free. Looking at the speaker line-up, this year’s Summit promises to be perhaps our best ever.”
Details about attending the VRA Automotive Summit, which is free to attend for anyone who works in the motor industry, can be found at https://www.thevra.co.uk/events.
Philip added: “Places are going fast and we’d advise those who would like to come along to register as soon as possible.”
