Murco’s retail marketing director Jeremy Clarke is moving to the Motor Fuel Group as managing director, and taking other Murco excutives with him, including dealer sales manager Jim Mulheran.

Meanwhile, Top 50 Indie Sej Sejpal said he is feeling "on top of the world" following the sale of his shareholding in the Motor Fuel Group (MFG).

MFG, one of the UK’s leading independent forecourt operators with around 60 sites, has been acquired by a new management team, headed by chief executive officer, William Bannister. Scottish Capital Group was involved in the acquisition. Sej’s co-directors Sharad Raja and Tony Head have also sold up. The deal was completed just before Christmas.

"They made us an offer we couldn’t refuse," said the elated Sej. "Negotiations initially began two and a half years ago, and resumed last year. We’ve been doing this for 30 years and didn’t want to pass up the opportunity. Initially I tossed and turned and wondered if I’d done the right thing. But now I feel great. It’s very satisfying knowing that I have built something of substance.

"I have retained a handful of investment sites which I have leased off to BP. But I am now free to spend more time with my family, and travel, which I love. It’s the best feeling in the world."

William Bannister is joined by Tom Biggart as chief investment officer and Ijaz Iqbal as finance director. All three directors claim to have considerable experience of the forecourt sector.

A statement on the company’s website said the new team was backed by committed investors, and together they were focused on growing and developing the MFG business into one of the most dynamic and profitable independent forecourt operators in the UK.

With some 58 stations situated throughout the UK operating under the BP, Shell, Esso, Total and Jet brands, the statement said MFG intended to continue to offer its customers premium fuel brands coupled with an attractive, competitive and expanding forecourt shop offer for today’s cost-conscious consumers.

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