AutoCanada appoints Cochrane as CEO

Executive Summary

• AutoCanada Inc.'s board of directors has appointed Samuel Cochrane as Chief Executive Officer, effective immediately.
• Cochrane will concurrently serve as interim Chief Financial Officer while the company initiates a search for a permanent CFO.
• The permanent appointment follows Cochrane's tenure as interim CEO since November 2025, during which he focused on stabilizing dealership operations, enhancing operational discipline, and assessing organizational performance.

Key Details

• Samuel Cochrane appointed as CEO, effective immediately.
• Cochrane will serve as interim CFO pending a permanent CFO search.
• Cochrane joined AutoCanada as CFO in August 2024 and was appointed interim CEO in October 2025.
• Board Chair Christopher Harris cited Cochrane's decisive leadership, focus, accountability, and discipline in stabilizing operations and positioning the company for long-term value creation.
• Cochrane's strategic priorities include returning the dealership network to its operational roots, simplifying corporate structure, removing unnecessary complexity, and capitalizing on the strong performance and growth opportunities in the collision business.
• Cochrane brings extensive public company experience, having served as CFO at Sierra Wireless and Avigilon Corp., with prior leadership roles at Motorola Solutions Inc. and SNC-Lavalin (now Atkinsrealis). He is a chartered accountant and holds a B.Com from the University of British Columbia.
• AutoCanada's operational footprint includes 64 franchised dealerships and 3 collision centres in Canada, with U.S. dealership operations currently held for sale and reported as discontinued operations.

Notable Quotes

• Christopher Harris, Chair of the Board: "During his tenure, Sam has demonstrated decisive leadership and a deep understanding of AutoCanada's business... The board is confident he is the right leader to strengthen dealership performance, build on the strong momentum in our collision business, and position the company for long-term value creation."
• Samuel Cochrane, CEO: "I am excited to lead AutoCanada at such a pivotal point in the company's transformation... My focus is on returning our dealership business to its operational roots, driving clarity, accountability and a relentless emphasis on customers, and execution at the store level."