About

‘Darryl M. Burman, Group 1 Automotive’s vice president and general counsel, was named the company’s first general counsel in late 2006. Burman led Group 1’s acquisitions of various UK auto dealers from 2012 to 2016, including Barons Group, Chandlers Group, Essex Audi Group, Elms Group, Think Ford and Spire Automotive. Group 1 also purchased Brazilian Automotive Group in 2013. His leadership role at the company is no small task. In 2013, Group 1 became the third-largest automotive retailer in the US, and the company currently owns 171 automotive dealerships, 224 franchises and 47 collision centres in the US, UK and Brazil. One of Burman’s best moments, however, was when he was part of the executive team’s decision in January 2009 to institute a 10% pay cut to help Group 1 survive the slump in the automobile industry. The pay of other corporate staff was reduced by 5%. Burman personally reduced company costs in another significant way that year when he sent a letter to all of the company’s outside law firms, asking them to freeze billing rates at 2008 levels and to roll back any rate increases that went into effect during the last quarter of 2008 – a move designed to save even more jobs. Burman is also active in the community. He serves as a director of the Texas General Counsel Forum – Houston Chapter, and was recently appointed by the University of South Florida Foundation to the USF Foundation board of directors’.