South Africa – Nissan today announced that in-line with its global Nissan Next strategy, it will reorganize its Nissan South Africa and Nissan Motors Egypt operations under one region; Africa. Several leadership announcements have been made as part of the new structure effective 1 December 2020:
Mike Whitfield is appointed Managing Director, Africa Regional Business Unit – Mike is an experienced Nissan leader with nearly 40 years with the brand. Mike joined the organization in 1989 and has held various leadership roles including the managing director of Nissan Motor Egypt and Nissan South Africa, as well as chairman of Africa South. In this role, Mike will report to Joni Paiva, divisional vice president, marketing & sales, AMIO and will be based between Rosslyn and Cairo.
Kabelo Rabotho is appointed Country Director, Nissan South Africa – Kabelo has over 25 years' experience in the marketing and sales environment, having covered product and brand management, sales and fleet management sales. Kabelo joined Nissan in 2016 after serving in management roles at BMW and Toyota South Africa. In his new role, he will be responsible for revenue generation functions as well as being the market lead for Nissan in South Africa, reporting into Mike Whitfield.
Sherief Eldessouky is appointed Country Managing Director, Nissan Motor Egypt. Sherief has more than 28 years of experience in the automotive industry. Sherief joined Nissan Motor Egypt as Plant, Total Customer Satisfaction and Purchasing director in March 2020. Prior to joining Nissan, Sherief held several leadership roles at General Motors in North and South America, Africa and Asia. Sherief will report to Mike Whitfield and will be based in Cairo.
These announcements come as a natural progression in-line with the Nissan Next principles and will enable the business to drive forward its strategy in Africa. This includes enhancing its focus on the customer with increased authority and autonomy, continuing development of manufacturing capabilities across the continent, streamlining our shared services for operational excellence, and finally, giving employees more room for growth.
Beyond internal operating enhancements, this also positions Nissan to focus on the massive opportunity that Africa presents to the organization globally. With the accelerating demand for vehicles and growth potential for market share combined with the African Continental Free Trade Area agreement, this new structure will help Nissan capitalize and deliver on its Nissan Next ambition.
“I'd like to thank Shinkichi Izumi for his excellent leadership and commitment to Nissan South Africa during his tenure. He has given a solid foundation for our operation to continue its success and position Nissan as a formidable player in the sector," Mike Whitfield, Managing Director, Africa Regional Business Unit commented.
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About Nissan in South Africa
Nissan South Africa is the operational hub for Regional Business Unit South, serving Nissan's key South Africa market and 45 other countries in Sub Saharan Africa, including Angola, Ghana, Kenya and Nigeria as well as the key Southern African markets of Botswana, Namibia, Lesotho and Swaziland. In South Africa, the company offers a range of 24 vehicles under the Nissan and Datsun brands, including the popular locally-produced Nissan light commercial vehicles - the NP200 half ton pickup and NP300 one-ton Hardbody - produced at the company's Rosslyn plant, north west of Pretoria. Nissan made history locally in 2013 with the introduction of Africa's first electric vehicle, Nissan's flagship Nissan LEAF. As well as boasting zero emissions leadership, Nissan is also a leader in the crossover segment. Among its product offerings are the all-new Nissan Qashqai and X-Trail, as well as Juke. The Datsun brand has re-established Nissan in the entry-level market where the tailor-made Datsun GO is breaking new ground in the 'riser' market segment. For more information visit our website at http://www.nissan.co.za For more information about Nissan's products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit nissan-global.com. You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn and see all our latest videos on YouTube.
