AutoCanada Inc. has appointed Mike Woodward as its new chief financial officer, effective July 6, as the automotive dealership group continues efforts tied to its strategic initiatives and operational transition.
The Edmonton-based company announced recently that Woodward will join the executive leadership team after serving most recently as chief financial officer of the Canada Enterprise Emergency Funding Corporation, where he oversaw lending programs and financing transactions.
The appointment comes as AutoCanada continues operating its Canadian dealership and collision repair business while progressing the sale of its U.S. dealership portfolio, which the company classifies as discontinued operations.
Woodward brings more than 18 years of finance leadership experience across public and private companies, according to the company. His background includes work in corporate development, financial strategy and operational improvement.
Before joining CEEFC, Woodward served as chief financial officer at Lynx Air and Campus Energy. AutoCanada said he helped build finance teams, improve reporting and forecasting functions, and support strategic initiatives in those roles.
Earlier in his career, Woodward held senior investment banking positions at Bank of Montreal and CIBC World Markets, where he advised on mergers and acquisitions and capital markets transactions.
“Mike brings a strong combination of financial discipline, strategic insight, and operational experience,” said Samuel Cochrane, chief executive officer and interim chief financial officer of AutoCanada. “We look forward to his contributions and are pleased to welcome him to the AutoCanada team as we continue to execute on our strategic initiatives.”
Woodward holds a bachelor of commerce degree from the University of British Columbia and carries both chartered professional accountant and chartered financial analyst designations.
AutoCanada’s Canadian operations consist of 64 franchised dealerships representing 23 automotive brands across eight provinces. The company said its Canadian dealerships sold about 71,000 new and used retail vehicles in 2025.
The Canadian segment also includes 33 collision centres supported by 26 original equipment manufacturer certifications spanning 37 vehicle brands.
AutoCanada’s U.S. operations currently include 10 franchised dealerships representing seven brands in Illinois. The company said those dealerships sold about 8,000 new and used retail vehicles in 2025 as it works toward the sale of the U.S. portfolio.
More from Retail Insider:
