Can you tell us more about yourself and how you came to be a part of the automotive industry?My career actually began in the automotive industry, and I have been within the Jaguar Land Rover network for over 25 years now. During this time, I have had the privilege of capitalizing on the many opportunities to grow our network in the region. As the Managing Director for Jaguar Land Rover Middle East and North Africa from April 2014, I am responsible for spearheading our next phase of automotive innovation in one of the world’s most competitive markets.How important is the Middle East market for JLR? What are the company’s plans for this region?MENA is one of most competitive and dynamic markets in the world, which actually gives us a great opportunity to build our brand’s presence through a genuinely consumer-centric approach. Despite the headwinds faced by the region’s automotive industry, Jaguar reported an impressive increase in annual sales of 46 percent in 2018/19, while Land Rover recorded a 13 percent year-on-year increase over the same period. We are currently focussed on meeting strong consumer-demand for our latest high-performance vehicles across MENA markets, and of course delivering the next-generation of automotive technologies in line with the brands’ Autonomous, Connected, Electric, and Shared (ACES) strategy.Land Rover is known for its rugged and stylish SUVs. But now practically every brand worth its name has its own range of SUVs. How will this affect the demand for your models?Within the SUV segment – in the Middle East and abroad – there is simply no automaker out there that can match Land Rover’s appeal. We always keep an eye on the competition of course, particularly with the growing number of sporty, compact SUVs, but we are confident that our cars offer a unique mix of performance and practicality. In fact, with our new model launches including the Range Rover Evoque and the Range Rover Velar SV Autobiography Dynamic Edition, we are optimistic about the growth potential in the latter half of 2019. And let’s not forget one of the most highly anticipated reveals coming soon from our stables, the iconic, Land Rover Defender.The automotive industry in this region has been experiencing a slowdown. How have you tweaked your retail and marketing strategy in light of this slump?In terms of retail, we are focussed on extending our line-up to reach new customers across different segments. To that end, we launched our first dedicated Jaguar Land Rover approved used car facility in Dubai with our local retailer partner Al Tayer Motors in 2017. We also kicked off the new Jaguar Land Rover ‘ARCH’ corporate identity across our MENA dealer network, which delivers a premium experience to our customers every step of the journey. As one of the biggest players in MENA’s automotive industry, our marketing strategy focuses on growing within niche markets where customers are less sensitive to prices, and demand highly differentiated solutions that play to Jaguar Land Rover’s traditional strengths. These markets include business travel, private transportation for children, non-emergency medical transportation, and the premium travel and tourism market.tiresandparts.net8
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