Past Presidents

Find out who has held the role of SMMT President since 1902

SMMT Presidents

Mick Flanagan

SMMT President; Vice President, Adient

Mick Flanagan draws experience from a long career in the automotive sector, having worked in the industry for 37 years. After graduating from University College Dublin with a degree in mechanical engineering, he started his career at Ford Motor Company, spending a decade there before moving to Visteon where he worked in a variety of manufacturing and product development roles.

Mick then joined Johnson Controls as a plant manager in 2000, progressing over the years to roles in general management. Following the spin-off of Johnson Controls’ seating division into global seating manufacturer Adient, Mick has spent the last seven years in senior management positions in the UK and Germany and is currently responsible for Adient business with JLR, Volvo, Toyota and Nissan, in addition serving as a board member supporting various international legal entities of the company.

Mike Hawes OBE

Chief Executive

Mike Hawes has been SMMT Chief Executive since 2013, helping promote the industry at home and abroad and representing the trade association’s diverse membership in discussions between the industry, government, stakeholders and media.

Since starting his career in the road transport research sector in 1990, Mike has amassed more than three decades of experience in communications, corporate and public affairs, the majority of which has been in the motor industry.

Mike joined SMMT from Bentley Motors, where he held Director positions with responsibility for Global Communications, Government Affairs and CSR.

Prior to that, he held senior government and corporate affairs positions at Toyota both in the UK and Europe, where he developed the experience and knowledge needed to promote the interests of the UK’s world-renowned automotive industry.

In 2024 Mike was awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for services to the UK automotive industry in the King’s Birthday Honours List.

media enquiries

Communications

Emma Butcher

Director of Communications

ebutcher@smmt.co.uk

James Boley

Head of PR

jboley@smmt.co.uk

Paul Large

Head of Digital and Brand

plarge@smmt.co.uk

Paul Mauerhoff

Senior Media Manager

pmauerhoff@smmt.co.uk

Rebecca Gibbs

Senior Press Officer

rgibbs@smmt.co.uk

Scott Clarke

Senior Press Officer

sclarke@smmt.co.uk

Get in touch

SMMT is the voice of the UK motor industry, supporting and promoting its members’ interests, at home and abroad, to government, stakeholders and the media.

The Society of Motor
Manufacturers & Traders,
71 Great Peter Street,
London, SW1P 2BN

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