Giti Tire has appointed Mat Wilkinson as its TBR Sales Director for the UK, tasking him with broadening the company's truck and bus fleet partnerships at a moment when Giti is preparing its largest TBR product launch in recent years. The role carries direct responsibility for sales, marketing and business performance across all commercial tyres, and Wilkinson will manage the company's area sales managers as well as working directly with customers.
Wilkinson joins from Yokohama HPT, where he served as Sales Director. Before that, he held senior commercial roles at Michelin, Continental and Bridgestone Europe, giving him a cross-manufacturer perspective that is relatively uncommon at director level in the UK TBR sector. He will report operationally to Petr Cajka, Sales and Marketing Director Europe, and functionally to Brian McDermott, Country Manager UK and PCR Sales Director Europe.
The timing of the hire is deliberate. Giti has confirmed that a substantial tranche of new TBR products will reach market across 2026 and 2027, with a stated focus on improved Rolling Resistance Coefficient results and reduced fleet CO2 output. Each product in the pipeline is, according to Giti, subject to in-depth field testing with leading European fleets before commercial release. That process matters practically: it means fleet operators can expect performance data derived from real operating conditions rather than controlled-circuit tests alone, which is increasingly the standard fleet procurement teams require when making sustainability-linked tyre decisions.
Wilkinson pointed to Giti's full hot and cold retreading capability and its Mercury fleet management programme as differentiating factors, describing the combination as a total fleet solution capable of delivering both cost savings and a measurable environmental benefit. That framing will resonate with fleet managers now required under emerging UK and EU reporting frameworks to account for tyre-related emissions in their wider carbon disclosures.
The UK TBR market remains competitive, with established players defending long-term fleet contracts. Giti's decision to appoint a director with experience across three of the sector's largest brands signals an intent to compete on relationship depth and product credibility rather than price alone.
For fleet tyre businesses and transport operators, Wilkinson's appointment is a practical signal that Giti is committed to senior-level account engagement in the UK truck and bus segment. Fleet managers reviewing their supplier roster ahead of the 2026 season should be aware that Giti's incoming TBR range, if the RRC improvements are confirmed through published test data, could alter the cost-per-kilometre and emissions case for switching or supplementing their current fitments. The Mercury programme's integration of fleet management with tyre supply is also worth evaluating against standalone contract tyre arrangements.
Tagged with: Giti Tire, Mat Wilkinson, TBR Sales Director, truck and bus tyres, fleet tyre management, rolling resistance coefficient, Mercury fleet programme, UK commercial tyres, tyre appointments, Yokohama HPT, sustainable fleet tyres, tyre industry careers
Disclaimer: This content may include forward-looking statements. Views expressed are not verified or endorsed by Tyre News Media.
.png)
