The chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), Mike Hawes, has been made an officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to the automotive industry in the King’s Birthday Honours List. He joined SMMT as chief executive in 2013 after a number of years in the automotive sector both in the UK and overseas.
Over more than a decade, he has led the trade body through a period of technological, structural and geopolitical change, working tirelessly to ensure the UK sector’s global competitiveness and reputation are enhanced. Many of the issues that have beset the sector during his tenure have required consensus building among the SMMT’s diverse membership, something he has done with tact and respect, it says.
He said:
Receiving such an award for services to the industry I love and have spent so much of my life championing is a huge honour. It is one I share with a dedicated and talented team at SMMT and a UK industry which wants to be the best.
The past few years have been anything but smooth, but the UK sector has proven itself resilient, adaptable and, as ever, incredibly innovative. This recognition reinforces the importance of the industry and SMMT itself, and I would like to thank everyone with whom I have worked for their unfailing commitment and support.
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