News

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has announced a new chief executive to replace Christopher Macgowan in the new year. Paul Everitt, currently director of civil air transport and communications at the Society of British Aerospace Companies (SBAC), will take over the role on 2 January.

Prior to joining  the SBAC he was the SMMT's head of communications, economics and policy. Everitt played a major role in launching and developing the motor industry sustainability report, which tracks annual CO2 emissions, and took a lead on a range of high-profile policy campaigns.

An SMMT spokesman says the outgoing chief executive's resignation came as a surprise and adds that Macgowan is looking forward to dedicating more time to personal interests after nine years in the role. The SMMT does not expect Everitt's appointment to bring a shift in focus the spokesman says: "Inevitably, when you get a change of person there may be changes as they employ their own personal preferences and personality, but I can't imagine there will be any [fundamental] changes."

The announcement of Macgowan's replacement comes as the SMMT exclusively reveals to Commercial Motor the results of an industry-wide survey showing that the biggest issue facing the automotive sector is CO2 emissions and their impact  on manufacturing and design: "Companies and company manufacturers have issues over their [carbon] footprint and then there are the issues of supply of vehicles meeting increasingly tough emissions legislation," says the spokesman. "Road pricing is also significantly influenced by emissions."