Today Inchcape operates Retail and Distribution businesses representing our brand partners in developed and emerging markets. This is what makes our business model truly unique in the automotive industry.

Inchcape operates a four dimensional business model giving the Group excellent portfolio diversification of geography, brand, channel to market and value drivers. This diversity gives us the flexibility to react quickly to changing market conditions and maintain our focus on the most productive sources of value relevant to each market. It has enabled us to post another set of record results in 2007 and gives us confidence that this high performance formula for success will continue through 2008 and beyond.

The Inchcape model offers major opportunities for growth. Our model for expansion is based around the concept of Distribution and Retail within developed and emerging markets and we see opportunities to grow across all these segments.

Our global organisational structure is what makes this unique model work. We follow a decentralised but co-ordinated approach. The balance is very important. It provides empowerment and resources in the markets, enabling fast decisions and freeing up local management to spend more time with our Customers. At the same time, this structure enables us to leverage many best practices we have across the Group and implement consistent, world-class standards.

For more information please view our online annual report in which Chief Executive André Lacroix discusses the Inchcape business model in more detail.