Former MAN Truck and Bus UK CEO Des Evans has been awarded an OBE in the Queen’s birthday honours.
Evans, who headed the UK operation for a decade before his retirement in 2014, was given the honour for services to motoring.
His 40 years in the road tansport industry also saw him win the Motor Transport Awards Services to Industry prize in 2014.
Evans told Motortransport.co.uk: “I must admit, it was a bit of a shock and a surprise when I heard about it. I got a letter from the cabinet office and it came in a brown envelope, and I thought it was a tax demand!”
He added that to win the award had been “a very humbling experience”, but suggested the industry didn’t get due recognition in the honours.
"There are 213 OBEs," he said, "but I am the only one out of 213 OBEs representing the transport and motor industries. Which is amazing - the transport industry is a very big player in the industrial landscape of the UK, and yet they get very little recognition.”
Other honourees from the industry included John Rodwell, operations director at FTX Logistics, and the DfT’s former director for motoring, freight and London John Parkinson.
