Continental UK appoints Okan Tamer as MD

David Smith focusing on broader international role

Continental UK and Ireland has appointed Okan Tamer as its new managing director, effective 1 November 2018. The moves sees Tamer relocate from Turkey, where he was general manager responsible for the presence of the international automotive corporation in that country.

Tamer joined OLTAS in 1999 and as they were the national distributor of Continental tyres in Turkey, that was when his direct working relationship with the brand started. When Continental acquired OLTAS in 2008, Tamer was appointed as general manager.

Tamer commented: “The UK is a major market for Continental and the team here have delivered outstanding results under the leadership of my predecessor, David Smith. I feel privileged to now take that on and excited about what an experienced and expert team can deliver.”

During David Smith’s 12 year tenure as managing director of the business, turnover more than doubled, and he guided the acquisition of Bandvulc in 2016.

Continental added an increased international responsibility to Smith’s role in January 2017. The move now enables a greater focus on that role, though it will see him retain an interest in the UK & Ireland.

David Smith commented: “Colleagues and customers alike can be assured that they are in safe hands. Okan joins an exceptional team that it has been fantastic to be part of. I have enormously enjoyed the progress we have made, and I will take a keen interest as that continues.”

David Smith’s new focus will be on his international role as Head of Channel Management Distribution and Region, North Europe.

Born in Istanbul, Turkey, Okan Tamer graduated Istanbul Technical University with a BSc. in Mechanical Engineering. He then went on to study Automotive Engineering at the Technical University of Vienna and Business Administration at the University of Maine and Private Marmara University.