Business 14 www.aftermarketonline.net NOVEMBER 2025 Championing the future of the aftermarket IAAF chief executive officer Mark Field on supporting independents, expanding services and promoting best practice Earlier this year, the IAAF announced plans to set out the future of a federation now in its 95th year — but remain keen to spearhead initiatives aimed at ensuring the UK’s aftermarket business leads from the front. The IAAF has recently been holding a series of regional meetings, including talks at ensuring a better gender balance in the automotive aftermarket. CEO Mark Field told Aftermarket its 21st century mission has expanded from just lobbying to become focused on member engagement, delivering data, reports, and training opportunities — all vital to the success of aftermarket businesses and more recently independent garages, which IAAF now caters for. But Field was keen to stress that the association represents the entire automotive aftermarket chain, also comprising manufacturers, suppliers, warehouse distributors, buying groups and motor factors. Field’s own career began in media and journalism, working at Haymarket Publishing and CAT Magazine, before moving into PR and then a trading group working with motor factors and suppliers. He later founded his own business, Impression. His heavy involvement with the IAAF as a communications professional paved the way for him to become CEO. Since then, he and the IAAF team have successfully increased and reinvigorated the association’s membership, while working closely with parallel industry organisations such as the SMMT, The Motor Ombudsman and FIGIEFA in Brussels. Field said the IAAF continues to emphasise the core value of independents and recent work on the motor vehicle block exemption regulations illustrates how the fundamentals of supporting the survival of local garages, together with supply chain freedom, should be defended. “We also have a commitment to ensuring legislation promotes freedom of choice for motorists and suppliers, not just regulatory compliance.” There are additional plans to expand regional engagement and promote industry best practice through meetings and conferences. However, Field said there was an ongoing push to make events more engaging, community-building, and reflective of the industry’s collective spirit. And in addition to annual golf and networking events, plus new initiatives such as five-a-side football, the IAAF hosts its flagship annual industry awards. During the summer, Field led fresh industry calls for a long-overdue increase in the MOT test fee. The IAAF said it was time to reset the aftermarket’s contract with consumers as part of a push to modernise the MOT and boost support for safety, air quality, increasing standards and the right to repair for independents. Over the coming 12-48 months, Field said he plans to accelerate garage membership, raise standards and perceptions and focus outreach on schools and colleges. He is also keen to pursue ‘wraparound services’ for the aftermarket community, including business and mental health support, working with organisations such as Ben and [M]enable. “We have a multi-level approach to advocacy, supporting stakeholders from the motorist to students, technicians, parts suppliers, and the wider supply chain.” That mission will be continued and ramped up into the near future and beyond, he said. For more information on joining the IAAF, email info@iaaf.co.uk or call (0)121 748 4600. Planning to accelerate garage membership and raise perceptions
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