During his time as CEO of SMMT, Mike Hawes has had to contend with Dieselgate, Brexit, Covid and numerous global pressures on the UK automotive industry. He talks to Lynda Ennis, Co-founder and CEO of Ennis & Co Group, about the importance of remaining calm and consistent in a crisis.
Take me through your career journey in the UK automotive industry. How did you get to where you are today, and were there any pivotal moments along the way? Did you have a clear ambition or plan at the start of your career?
It was really more by accident than design. I’ve been in my role at SMMT for 12 years now, and I certainly didn’t get it because I was an expert in running a business or because I knew the ins and outs of engineering and designing vehicles. I wasn’t deeply familiar with production either. My background was communications, and has therefore been the main thread of my career in the automotive industry. If I rewind 30 years, I worked for Toyota, Bentley and Volkswagen, and before that in consultancy, focusing on PR and government affairs. Earlier still, I was in the civil service, which gave me some grounding in government affairs and eventually led me into public affairs consultancy. That broadened into PR, but after a few years I realised I wanted to go in-house. In consultancy, you only ever skim the surface, whereas I wanted something deeper. There were a handful of sectors I was interested in, and one of the opportunities that came up was with Toyota.
I vividly remember the interview process with Toyota – it was long and tough. At one point, I commented on how lengthy the process was, and they replied, ‘You think it’s difficult getting in? Try getting out.’ And that’s true: once you’re in, people do tend to stay in this industry because they love it, even if they move between roles. For me, it was more serendipity than a pursuit. I always had an interest in cars, partly because I grew up in Australia and New Zealand, where public transport was poor, cars were essential, and when you’re young, you end up buying old ones and learning to look after them yourself. That sparked an interest.
Working across the industry, I was mostly on the comms side. During my time at Bentley, however, everyone was based out of one site, and my office was just 50 feet from the start of the production hall. It was a fascinating contrast because sales and marketing people tend to be very different from those in manufacturing. That mix of perspectives is part of the richness of the industry.
As to why I gravitated towards communications, it comes down to doing what you enjoy. Communications cuts across so many areas – sales, marketing, operations, and sometimes purchasing when things go wrong – so you do need that breadth of understanding of the business. There’s also the pace of it which I love. Media works incredibly fast, and you have to be able to respond quickly. Engineering was never my path. My son ended up studying astrophysics at university, which still surprises me, while I’ve always been drawn to writing. Writing is at the core of good communications, and you need that skill. On top of that, you need the confidence to talk to audience, who are often looking to catch you out.
LE: You’ve led in your current role for 12 years, navigating major industry moments like Brexit and Covid. What has been your biggest leadership challenge, and what experiences helped you manage it? What skills will the next generation of senior leaders need?
Mike Hawes: Being a trade association, the biggest leadership challenge I face is managing the diversity of members. Usually there’s alignment but not always, and even within one sector, companies will have different strategies. The task is to hold that together into a coherent industry position. The most difficult situations are often not the ones you’d expect. Brexit, for example, was actually relatively straightforward. As an industry we were overwhelmingly against it, so there was a strong, united position. Harder situations are where opinions are split, such as the early discussions around EV mandates. Some saw them as a huge opportunity, while others thought they threatened their business models. Bringing those views into a position that no-one loves but everyone can live with is the real challenge.
Dieselgate was another defining moment. Initially it was seen as a Volkswagen issue, but within a week the media and government narrative became, ‘If one’s doing it, they’re all doing it.’ That created real pressure, and it escalated quickly. We did multiple media interviews, looking to firewall the rest of the industry which, understandably could not engage, four select committee hearings, and hundreds of other engagements. At the first, MPs didn’t really know the questions to ask but by the fourth session they were much more forensic, and that was tough. Still, I found it valuable. It tested us but I hope we kept calm and communicated, supporting the industry through crises.
Ultimately, leadership at SMMT is about demonstrating value to members. They fund the organisation, so you have to show you’re reflecting their priorities and earning their subscription every year. One of the things I’ve tried to instil in the team is something of a consultancy mindset – always asking what more we can do for members, how we can strengthen relationships and understand their needs. That constant focus on value and service is critical because, at the end of the day, their support is what keeps the organisation going.
What attracted you to the SMMT, and how did your previous leadership roles prepare you for it?
I started at Toyota GB, working in government and corporate affairs. I was then asked to set up Toyota Motor Europe’s office in London, which brought together the manufacturing, sales and marketing companies, and later the finance arm, to improve communication and coordination. From there, I moved to Brussels to continue in corporate affairs at a European level.
I loved my time at Toyota. It’s obviously a Japanese company through and through and I enjoyed that immensely. But it operates globally, so the question is whether it will ever be truly international in culture. That’s not a criticism, just a reality. Once you understand the mechanisms, the culture, the processes, they’re very straightforward people to work with. After that came the chance to go to Bentley, which was a natural step, moving from a UK/European role into a global one.
The appeal of SMMT was diversification. Car launches, which I’d been involved with, can become a treadmill. Another one comes along every year. Corporate affairs always interested me more because I find it’s more varied. For example, at Bentley during the financial crisis, the plant had to shut down for six weeks. Looking down a production line with no vehicles on it is a sobering sight, and the challenge was how to manage that message. That variety and challenge drew me into this type of work.
I already knew my predecessor at SMMT from my time as a member and was aware he’d be moving on, so I understood what would be expected of me. The role is high-profile, which has its swings and roundabouts. It’s not just about government affairs or media relations, it’s also about running the company, managing relationships and setting the tone at CEO level. Reporting to someone else is one thing, but when you step into the leadership role, the responsibility sits squarely with you. My initial plan was to do it for five or six years but every couple of years it seems a crisis comes along. If you don’t enjoy dealing with crises, you’re in the wrong business. Over the years, we’ve dealt with plenty – Brexit, tariffs, Dieselgate and now cyber issues.
Adapting your leadership style, I would imagine, is most likely part of your DNA at this stage. How do you go about adjusting your approach, whether internally with your team or externally with government and stakeholders?
Different companies do have different cultures. I’ve worked for British, German, Japanese, and Australian companies, and they all have different ways of working, differing cultures. Like any good sales approach, you have to reflect the position and the environment you’re in.
You obviously have to be mindful that you’re always working to the companies – or in my case now – the industry’s interests. When you’re talking to member companies that are competitors, you need to be supportive, but not so supportive that anything you say gives one of them an unfair advantage. You have to be consistent and fair. And with the organisation of the SMMT, you also need to be mindful of anti-trust and competition rules.
Any company will have a culture, and that culture tends to reflect its leadership, which will vary depending on national and operational context. You also have to manage people according to the culture they come from, whether that’s sales, marketing or manufacturing as well as being respectful of their personal backgrounds and characteristics. Calmness is absolutely important, particularly when members are facing threats or criticism. They don’t want to see panic; they want to see consistency and support. The key is to navigate things thoughtfully, responsibly and in a way that serves the organisation and its members.
What are your thoughts on the skills and people side of the industry? How can senior leaders better support skills development, diversity and the preparation of tomorrow’s leaders?
As I mentioned, a company’s culture reflects the leadership team, and that can vary widely. In this industry, sales and marketing people and manufacturing people can sometimes feel like they’re from different planets. They think and operate differently, and the way you work with them has to reflect that. Years ago, plenty of meetings in the sector would never have got a PG rating because that was the culture then. It’s always been, and always will be a bumpy ride in our industry, so calmness in leadership is important.
Take Dieselgate, for example. I was due to travel to Brussels five days after the story broke. I got on the Tube with my phone quiet and by the time I got off 20 minutes later, I had a string of missed calls. The media had completely erupted. In moments like that, you need to stay calm. That’s what people look for in leaders now. The days of shouting and berating people are gone. The industry is full of good people and most will understand the pressures you’re under as long as you’re honest, clear and have a solid basis for your decisions.
On the skills and people side, there are definite challenges. We have intakes – apprenticeships, graduate schemes – and that’s vital, because we need young people and we need diversity. But once they’re in, the real challenge is retention. At SMMT, we try to give people opportunities to move within the organisation, though we’re relatively small. Because we sit at the centre of the industry, we often become the pond where others fish for talent, and that’s fine. If someone leaves us to strengthen the wider industry, they go with our best wishes. We’ve grown them, and that’s a good thing.
What advice would you give to aspiring leaders coming into this industry?
I would tell them it will be rough at times, but that’s part of the excitement. You have to keep on top of technology, maintain awareness and think laterally about how things are changing. If you came in as an ICE engineer, you can’t stand still. You’ll need to reskill. A good example was when one Brand retrained around a thousand engineers into software roles when there was a shortage. That adaptability is critical.
Flexibility is key, as is broad experience. If you want to be a senior leader, you’ll need to understand finance, to be able to read a balance sheet, grasp how sales work, and understand the fundamentals of the business as well as the technology. You also need resilience. That doesn’t just mean being tough. It’s about maintaining your drive and your passion even when the challenges are intense. This industry will likely occupy the majority of your working life, so it’s important to enjoy it. And the truth is, most people really do.
In 2024 you were awarded an OBE for your services to the automotive industry. What did that recognition mean to you personally and professionally?
Clearly, these things don’t just happen of themselves. You have to be nominated, and that nomination has to be supported by senior people. This in itself was humbling – to be recognised in that way by peers and leaders in the industry.
I’ll be honest, I’ve never been very good at talking about myself. Even when I speak about the industry, I usually do it in the third person – it’s always ‘we’, not ‘I’. You can’t achieve anything in this sector alone and, for me, it was always about collective effort. So, while the OBE was hugely flattering, I really saw it as a reflection of the industry and the people I’ve been fortunate enough to work alongside.
When the letter arrived, six weeks in advance, my wife actually opened it first. We didn’t tell the children until the day it was formally announced and, even then, I had to do it on a Teams call and struggled to get the words out. It’s just not in my nature to put myself at the centre of things. The day itself, though, was remarkable – a fabulous experience. What struck me most was being handed the list of honourees for that ceremony, with 80 to 90% of them working in fields such as academia, the NHS and medical research. All of them were making important contributions to society. The number of industry awards was tiny by comparison, and that really brought home what a big deal this was – bigger than I’d perhaps realised at the outset.
Who has inspired you the most in your career, and how has that shaped your leadership style? How do you, in turn, inspire others, and is there a piece of advice that has stayed with you?
This is a great question. I think I have to look back at the leaders I’ve had strong relationships with. My first boss, Mike Moran, was a real force of nature, and Graham Smith was another significant influence. There were many Japanese leaders too. Some of my Japanese bosses also shaped my preferred management style. Their approach was very considered, calm and deliberate, carefully evaluating each decision and its implications while being highly supportive of their teams. At Bentley too, there were so many people who guided me through the complexities of that industry, here and abroad, helping shape the style one adopts as one’s own.
I’ve also learned a lot from people whose leadership style taught me what not to do. Before my automotive days, one particular boss taught me a lot about leadership and operational management mainly because I was determined NOT to do it their way as it was deeply unpleasant, arrogant and aggressive. There are, however, many people I admire deeply in the wider world, of government, media and other related sectors, whose support and professionalism are truly inspirational.
LE: Looking back on your tenure at SMMT, what do you hope will be the defining hallmark of your leadership? How do you define success and what are your key goals as a leader?
Reflecting on my career, I’ve definitely had to navigate some very choppy waters. Brexit, Covid and other international pressures have made this period incredibly challenging. I inherited a strong organisation with a good reputation, and I hope I’ve been able to enhance that. Given the reduction in size of the UK automotive industry due to global pressures, my goal has been to ensure that SMMT has done everything possible to safeguard and secure the future of the sector.
Personally, I’m conscious of the finite nature of a career. At this stage, when my tenure here ends, it is highly unlikely I would return to a full time corporate HQ role. But I want to use the insights and experience I’ve gained to benefit other companies, keeping my mind active and my interests sated. It’s crucial to stay engaged rather than stopping abruptly. I’ve always been told that stepping away too suddenly, as can happen with athletes or those in high-pressure roles, isn’t ideal and can lead to years of regret. No one wants that.
The social and interpersonal aspect is also important. I can’t work from home full time. I enjoy meeting people and engaging face-to-face. While not the biggest extrovert, I value these interactions and the opportunities they bring. I’ve also observed that other societies tend to keep people engaged for longer, drawing on that experience rather than being put out to pasture. I hope to incorporate that into my own future.
