SOCIETY of Motor Manufacturers and Traders deputy chief executive Roger King has been appointed chief executive of the Road Haulage Association. The former Tory MP for Birmingham Northfield and joint chairman of the All Party Motor Industry Group from 1990-92 takes up his new post on April 3.

King joined the SMMT in 1992 as director of public affairs, became acting chief executive in November, 1998, following the death of chief executive Ernie Thompson, and took on the role of deputy in June last year when ex-Retail Motor Industry Federation chief Christopher Macgowan became chief executive.