While the political ructions in Canberra held the nation in its thrall last week there was another election happening for a major national body that was quite a deal less dramatic and surprisingly has gone almost unnoticed.
The peak body for Australia’s truck manufacturers and distributors the Truck Industry Council has a new president and vice presidents following elections last week at its AGM on the Gold Coast.
With Phil Taylor stepping down after nearly a decade at the helm, the key TIC positions were declared vacant and the election was held. Following the election it can be revealed that the new president of TIC will be PACCAR MD Andrew Hadjikakou.
He takes over at time when the industry is in rude health and is on track to break the 40000 truck sales barrier for the first time ever and his one company is set for a record performance with its number one heavy duty brand Kenworth and the recent addition of its DAF brand to local manufacturing.
Hadjikaku will be joined by newly elected vice presidents, Mike Fowler of Cummins and Kevin Dennis of Penske Trucks.
Hadjikakou is an accomplished and well-liked executive and as the MD of the leading heavy duty brand will carry strong authority, as did Phil Taylor as chief of overall industry leader Isuzu.
Phil Taylor steps down after overseeing the Industry Council as the president for the past nine years, taking over immediately following the downturn that accompanied the GFC and leading the body strongly as it recovered to record levels.
It was believed that Volvo Group president Peter Voorhoeve might have been the front-runner to take over as TIC president having been vice president for the past few years. However the Dutchman was recently announced as the new president of Volvo Trucks North America and is in the process of departing Australia for his new home in North Carolina, leaving the top spot at TIC to his heavy-duty rival from PACCAR.