Duckhams, the original British motor oil since 1899, is pleased to welcome incumbent UKLA President Mike Bewsey as its new CEO. With many years of experience managing multi-national lubricant brands, Mike has been appointed to lead the company through its next stage of global operations.
As Duckhams enters its 125th year, Mike will direct the iconic engine oil brand during a pivotal period in its development. “Duckhams is a great brand with a rich heritage, well-loved by mechanics and motorists,” Mike said. “Since its successful relaunch in 2018, Duckhams has received strong support from distributors and partners across the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The brand is now available in twenty-seven countries, having doubled its global network over the past twelve months. The 125th anniversary is an incredible milestone, giving us a fantastic platform to celebrate everything Duckhams has achieved in 125 years of winning with drivers, workshops and distributors. It is an exciting time to be joining the Duckhams family.”
Mike began his automotive career at Unipart before becoming Sales & Marketing Director at Comma Oil and Business Unit Director at Moove Europe. Keen to support the broader lubricants industry, Mike served as Chairman of the UK lubricants organisation, the Verification of Lubricant Specifications (VLS), from 2021 to 2023. He is currently President of the United Kingdom Lubricants Association (UKLA), leading their work to represent the lubricants industry in the UK and abroad, actively engaging with other trade associations and the UK and European Governments on matters impacting the lubricants industry.
Mike’s appointment comes after Rajat Moitra joined the business as Global Chief Marketing Officer, and Chris Clarkson became Global Technical and Procurement Officer at the end of 2023. These senior-level engagements have created a new leadership team with decades of experience leading multi-national lubricants brands.
