AN Eastern Cape man who started work as a student trainee at Continental Tyre South Africa in Mandela Bay 18 years ago has been promoted to manufacturing general manager.

Since starting as a trainee, Cathcart-born Wayne Brown had held a number of different positions, including three years spent in the United States, the Struandale-based company said yesterday.

Brown was educated at Queens College and received a diploma in industrial engineering at NMMU (then PE Technical College). He completed his MBA through the University of Wales in 2004.

After finishing his diploma, Brown joined the international company full- time in production in1996.

In 2004, he was seconded to Continental North America in North Carolina, where he was responsible for industrial engineering services for three plants, including one in Mexico.

He returned to South Africa in 2007.

Brown and his wife, Ingrid, are keen triathletes.

Both have completed the Ironman and endurance races.