Global leader in automotive testing and proving grounds, UTAC, has announced the appointment of Kirsty Andrew as vice president of UK operations.

UTAC has been providing a range of vehicle services and automotive testing for the market since 1924 such as proving tests for vehicle safety, as well as compliance and performance testing in-keeping with regulations. Testing facilities include UTAC Millbrook which has over 50km of test tracks sporting a variety of surfaces and technical characteristics.

The role at UTAC the first dedicated UK vice president for the body, showcasing the UTAC’s commitment to enhancing and further developing automotive testing facilities in Britain. UTAC has proving grounds and laboratories across the world in the UK, France, Finland, Morocco and the US.

In an exclusive interview with Just Auto, Kirsty Andrew said the vice president for UK operations role covers all the testing activity and anything else operational that takes place in in in the UK. “In the UK we have two sites, one in Leyland and one at Millbrook; one is a proving ground, one is a test facility,” she said. “My job is to be the figurehead, to give people a point of reference.”

She also said the new role is customer led. “This is us saying we’ve looked more globally at a group level, at our operational effectiveness, and decided that a lead in the country who can focus on operational delivery is going to produce the best results for us as a company, and for our customers.”

In the full interview to be published on Just Auto she also talks about UTAC’s future priorities as well as the broader position of women in the automotive industry.

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