Jeff Ward becomes Kenda brand ambassador
Kenda has signed up Jeff Ward as its latest brand ambassador. The British-American multi-time AMA Motocross, Supercross, Supermoto champion, 7-time international MX des Nations champion, X Games gold medallist and AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame inductee joins Motocross Hall of Famer and X Games Gold Medallist Doug Henry in this role.
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Autogem appoints business development manager
Autogem has appointed a new specialist business development manager to complement its range of industry leading aftermarket products. Adam Livett brings 23 years of main vehicle dealer experience to the new role and is already pledging to “fulfil customers’ needs and look after them”, rather than simply sell them products alone.
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Paul Heard appointed CEO of SMMT Industry Forum
Paul Heard has been appointed the new Chief Executive of SMMT Industry Forum. Heard was formerly President of Automotive Tier 1 supplier Futaba UK and has worked for more than 20 years in management and consultancy roles at companies including EV Cargo, QT Consulting, Futaba subsidiaries and Tenneco Automotive. He has a track record of leading multi-million pound businesses within complex supply chain ecosystems and a wealth of experience delivering successful business transformation programmes across multiple sectors.
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KPMG appoints Andrew Burn to lead Automotive practice
Professional services firm, KPMG, has appointed Andrew Burn as UK head of Automotive with immediate effect. Burn is a partner within the firm’s restructuring practice and has over 25 years of experience in guiding clients through challenging situations. He has provided company side restructuring advice across the public and private sectors, as well as to privately owned and private equity-backed companies and PLCs. Over the last ten years, he has worked extensively with clients in the automotive sector across the UK and Europe, advising on various areas including supply chain risk management. He succeeds Justin Benson who has left the firm to pursue a new opportunity.
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Goodyear names Zamarro VP of Finance & treasurer
Christina Zamarro has been appointed Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company’s vice president of Finance and treasurer. She succeeds Peter R. Rapin, who steps down from the role tomorrow ahead of his retirement on 1 October 2020. In her new role, Zamarro reports to Darren R. Wells, the tyre maker’s executive vice president and chief financial officer.
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IGA requests enhanced furlough scheme from chancellor
The Independent Garage Association (IGA) has requested an enhancement to the furlough scheme. It wrote to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, Rishi Sunak, to request an alteration to the current scheme enabling employees to return to work partially as the country prepares for the next phase of lockdown restrictions.
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New European product manager at Carlstar Group
The Carlstar Group has strengthened its team with the appointment of a European product manager. The company reported today that Balazs Sztranyai began in this role last September. Sztranyai is based in Carlstar’s European head office and supports the Group and its partners on site as well for field testing or surveys for all segments and brands, including Carlisle, ITP, BlackRock, Marastar, Unique and Cragar.
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New Geneva Motor Show CEO appointed
Sandro Mesquita has been appointed as Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) CEO effective 1 May 2020. He succeeds Olivier Rihs, who has left GIMS at the end of March.
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Adrian Kaczmarczyk appointed Nokian Tyres SVP, Supply Operations
Adrian Kaczmarczyk (Dipl. Ing. Engineering, MBA) has been appointed Nokian Tyres Senior Vice President, Supply Operations. He will take up the position on 1 November 2020 at the latest. Nokian Tyres current SVP, Supply Operations Esa Eronen will retire at the end of this year after working for more than 30 years in the company.
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Continental CST appoints Hübner its agri product line manager
Benjamin Hübner has taken over as product line manager for Continental Commercial Specialty Tires’ Agricultural Tires business. In this function, he is responsible for the strategic development within the agricultural tyre segment.
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PCL appoints new national sales manager
PCL has appointed Alan Findlow as its new national sales manager. With extensive experience of working with ends users and distributors both at home and abroad, Findlow intends to use his expertise to help companies whose operations have been affected by coronavirus, formulating short term solutions whilst looking ahead to strategies for recovery.
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Bridgestone North Region appoints Andrea Manenti as vice president
Bridgestone has appointed Andrea Manenti as vice president for its North Region, which includes the UK and Ireland. Manenti joins Bridgestone from Trelleborg Wheel Systems where he was global OE senior director. He joined Trelleborg in Italy as sales director and has held managing director and country manager positions in the UK and Ireland, China and Asia.
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Vaculug names new MD, fleet appointments
When Zenises Group chairman Harjeev Kandhari bought Lincolnshire-based retreader Vaculug in July 2018, some questioned the logic of buying a British manufacturing business while the country was on the brink of Brexit. However, shortly afterwards he told Tyres & Accessories that the circumstances only added to the opportunity and that he had plans to invest in the business via its staff, products and production lines. 18 months on, before the Coronavirus outbreak, T&A asked Kandhari how the transition has progressed and what the company is doing to celebrate its 10th anniversary. In short, the Vaculug transition is said to be going “absolutely wonderfully”, with a new MD appointed from within the ranks of Zenises, a number of other new personnel as well as new products and a developing van tyre business.
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New Communications and Public Affairs chief at Continental’s Tires business
Starting 1 April, Silke Bernhardt has taken up the newly-created position of Head of Communications & Public Affairs within Continental’s Tires business area. She is based at the company’s headquarters in Hannover, Germany and shoulders responsibility for the strategic direction of internal and external communications. Bernhardt also manages the global communications units within Asia, North and South America, and Europe.
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