Ex-Toyota boss Moran sets up automotive consultancy

Mike%20Moran

Former Toyota GB commercial director Mike Moran is setting up a motoring consultancy called The Automotive Partnership (TAP).

Moran has teamed up with former motoring journalist John Blauth to launch TAP on October 2.

The consultancy will offer marketing services, public relations, media planning and buying, financial and strategic consultancy, and communications material.

It has signed up five partner companies to offer the individual services and will aim TAP primarily at dealerships, although it could also work with manufacturers.

Moran will continue to act as managing director of business strategy and marketing consultancy The Orchard Consultancy, which he set up in 2004. Blauth, a former motoring correspondent for the Daily Express, now owns Immediate Network, an editorial content, design, production and publishing company with a primarily automotive customer base.

Moran says there is a clear gap in the market for TAP. He adds: "Big agencies don’t understand dealerships or know how to synchronise the variety of communications they need. Smaller local agencies might be better placed to do that but don’t have managers with enough gravitas to engage at the right level."