EXECUTIVE VISION
Leading
Growth
Head of Business of Fix Auto World, David Lingham, discusses expansions, global trends and change
D
avid Lingham was appointed Head of Business for Fix Auto World in late 2016, but he has worked with the company since 2015 on global strategic development. As Head of Business, Lingham is responsible for directing and steering the business’ international operations. Lingham is well-known in the global collision industry for his work with the International Bodyshop Industry Symposium (IBIS) and as the founder of Orbis Worldwide and Orbis Business Impact, automotive coaching and support companies that have served clients in 18 different countries.
Collision Repair magazine: Fix Auto has long had operations outside of Canada, but it seems as though the company has expanded significantly on the world stage in the last few years. What prompted this move, and what challenges have you had to overcome to make it happen?
the repairers that make up our global network. Our development goals are ambitious and we focus on two key areas to help us achieve them; having talented people in our team and finding the right business partners in each country—partners who have similar ideals to us of integrity and straight business dealing.
David Lingham: Steve Leal, President of Fix Auto World, is keen that Fix Auto and its associated brands are present on the world stage. Our strategic development in recent years has been rapid, and always underscored by our commitment to our brand and to all
CRM: Fix Auto is a global corporation, but its roots are in Canada. How have these Canadian roots influenced the way the company is structured? Are there advantages that have been brought to bear in regards to what the company has learned here?
22 collision Repair collisionrepairmag.com
DL: Absolutely, but clearly, geographical differences can play a part when we arrive in a new country. For instance, the UK market is unlike Canada, whereas Australia is quite similar. Having 25 years of proven experience in a mature market like Canada is very helpful, and we draw from best practices in Canada to help us approach challenges and grow our footprint globally. CRM: The world seems smaller today than ever. In your view, what three global trends do you think will have the largest impact on repairers?