Aussie exec to lead Mazda in South Africa
BY TERRY MARTIN | 5th Sep 2013
An 18-year stalwart for the Japanese brand in Australia, most recently serving as state manager for Western Australia, Mr Hughes will relocate to Johannesburg soon to head up the newly created Mazda Southern Africa Pty Ltd.
MMC is investing 20 million rand ($A2.13m) in the new company, which will enable it to independently control the importation and sale of its vehicles in South Africa, as well as handle all customer services and expand its operations.
Mazda vehicles are currently distributed in South Africa by Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa, which will officially hand over all Mazda-related parts of the business to the new factory operation in July 2014.
Mr Hughes is already working on the transition, with staff being hired and dealerships recruited, ahead of the relaunch next year with an initial product line-up of the Mazda2, Mazda3, Mazda5, Mazda6, MX-5, CX-5 and the BT-50.
The latter will continue to be built at Ford’s Silverton Assembly Plant in South Africa.
Mazda Australia managing director Martin Benders said Mr Hughes’ appointment was another example of MMC turning to its Australian subsidiary for an executive who was ready to take on a key overseas role.
Mr Hughes follows in the footsteps of Mr Benders himself, who was previously head of sales for Mazda in Europe and, prior to that, general manager of MMC’s global marketing division in Japan, and former managing director Malcolm Gough, who relocated to Hiroshima in the late 1990s to lead Mazda’s overseas sales division.
“It is a source of great pride that Mazda Motor Corporation has again looked to Mazda Australia for a suitable person to set up this totally new operation, recognition of the successful business model created in this market,” Mr Benders said.
“We wish David every success in his new role and we will be happy to provide him with any necessary support required in establishing the new NSC in South Africa.”A replacement for Mr Hughes as WA state manager is still to be announced.
Mr Hughes’ career with Mazda Australia has spanned 18 years in three stints, starting in 1985 in the WA state service operation.
In 1992, he took on the role of national aftersales manager for Mazda’s short-lived premium brand Eunos, but left the company four years later after the Euros venture closed.
He subsequently worked his way up to general manager at Kia Australia before returning to Mazda as WA state manager in 2003. He also served as national sales manager from 2006 to 2011.
In South Africa, Mr Hughes will report to Mazda’s senior managing executive officer overseeing operations in Europe, Asia/Oceania, Middle East/Africa and new emerging markets – and president of Mazda South East Asia Ltd – Yuji Nakamine.
“With 600,000 vehicles sold per year, South Africa is the biggest automotive market on the African continent,” Mr Nakamine said.
“The establishment of a national sales company and introduction of more next-generation products will give the Mazda brand a much greater presence and contribute to the overall development of the South African market.”Mazda has had a presence in South Africa since 1963 and is currently Mazda’s biggest market on the African continent.
