Bill Parfitt, chairman and chief executive officer of General Motors’ UK operations, has been awarded a CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours for services to the automotive industry.

Trained as a motor engineer in the family motor business in south Wales, Parfitt then joined Goodyear as a graduate entrant. He has subsequently spent his working life in the motor industry, holding a number of directorships and senior executive roles in blue chip companies.

He joined Vauxhall Motors in 1998 as fleet sales director and quickly became responsible for all sales and marketing activities for GM’s UK operations. He was appointed managing director of Vauxhall in 2005 and chairman of GMUK in 2009.

Parfitt has been a supporter of the British motor industry and its manufacturing future in the UK. He has championed the continuing production of Vauxhall cars and vans in the UK at Vauxhall’s two manufacturing plants – Ellesmere Port in the north west and in Luton.

Working with the current and previous Governments’ Automotive Council on a strategic plan to increase the declining supplier base in the UK Parfitt became the first chairman of the Government/Industry body, the Supply Chain Group.