Sir Tom Farmer joins speakers at Tyrexpo Africa’10 tyre industry conference Sir Tom Farmer CVO CBE KCSG DL, the man credited with revolutionising tyre retailing in the UK, will present a keynote speech at the TyrexpoAfrica industry conference in Johannesburg next March. Sir Tom, founder and chief executive of the Kwik-Fit retail empire, is one of the most recognisable names in the global tyre industry. He founded Kwik-Fit in Scotland in 1971, developing it to become one of the world’s largest automotive parts repair and replacement specialists, before selling the company to Ford in 1999. Among many honours, Sir Tom was awarded the CBE in 1990, received a Knighthood in 1997 and in the same year was made a KCSG (Knight Commander with Star of the Order of St. Gregory the Great). In 2009 he was created a Commander of the Victorian Order (CVO) in the Queen’s New Year’s Honours. He now supports a wide range of charitable and philanthropic causes while maintaining an interest in the UK tyre business through his involvement with the Farmer Autocare retail group in his native Scotland. His presentation to delegates will cover the Kwik-Fit success story; the challenges facing today’s tyre retailers and the ‘customer experience.’ He will also provide an expert insight into key business areas such as price discounting, staff motivation and the added value factor. “Sir Tom Farmer is universally known and admired for his stellar achievements with Kwik-Fit so we regard it as a real coup to have secured his involvement in the TyrexpoAfrica conference,” says Rowena Suthers, sales director with exhibition organiser ECI International.