The announcement that former McLaren CEO Mike Flewitt is to take the motoring reins at auction house Bonhams Cars is just one of two huge moves in the UK classic car auction scene, with a third one imminent but under wraps.
While rumours abound that James Knight, the department talisman for decades and more recently a consultant, has resigned for pastures new, it was natural for Bonhams to find a new figurehead. And there are few people more experienced in UK motoring than Flewitt, who, before his eight-year stint at the helm of McLaren, had already served in high-ranking roles at Ford, Volvo, and Rolls-Royce & Bentley.
After leaving McLaren in 2021 Flewitt worked as a consultant to the likes of Vertical Aerospace, Ricor Global Limited, and Halcyon and Longbow Motors. It is expected that his appointment as Global Motoring Chairman will stabilise Bonhams, which, following decades of stability under Robert Brooks and Knight, has had a turbulent time since its 2018 acquisition by private equity.
Bonhams has pledged that Flewitt will actively represent the company at events and live auctions across the globe. He will be based in London and report directly to its Global CEO, Chabi Nouri, who conceded that the appointment comes at a ‘pivotal time’ for Bonhams Cars. Flewitt’s brief, in Bonhams’ words, will be ‘expanding the department’s global presence, strengthening relationships with clients, and collaborating with the Bonhams executive team to define and execute the department’s strategic roadmap’.
Mike Flewitt said: ‘I’ve long admired Bonhams Cars for its rich heritage and influential presence in the motoring world. Its history, events, and sales have always stood apart in the automotive world. I’m excited to bring my experience to the team and to play a role in shaping its future.’
The Flewitt news came shortly before the revelation that Peter Wallman, Chairman of RM Sotheby’s UK and EMEA operations, has ended his second stint with the Canadian company. Another big move, widely rumoured but not yet confirmed, is expected in October as more North American auction houses target the UK and Europe for expansion and new sales.
