Coachlines - July 2021

09.07.21 Liveryman Rakesh Sharma OBE

CEO of SMMT shares automotive insight during Holmes Noble webinar


On 15th June the Coachmakers, in association with Holmes Noble Ltd (HN) held a free webinar as part of the Livery’s ‘charging the pipeline’ initiative to increase the number and diversity of potential Liverymen. The event featured Coachmaker Freeman Mike Hawes, CEO of automotive trade body the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), in a ‘fireside chat’ with Ben Gilbert, COO of HN.

Seventy four attendees listened to Mike exploring how the automotive industry has changed as a result of the Covid lockdowns and how the public and the industry are transitioning to electric vehicles with ever increasing speed. For the supply chain, Mike was optimistic for the sector as core skills were going to still be in demand and there were opportunities for forward thinking companies to adapt their skills and train their workforce to secure opportunities during the transition. The webinar finished after a Q&A session on a realistic yet upbeat note with thanks to Mike and Ben for a fascinating debate.