..:: AUTO REPORT AFRICA ::..
Related Articles
… Denise Van Huyssteen to Head Corporate Affairs
Isuzu Motors South Africa has continued to re-assure that things are surely going to look up for good following its decision to purchase the Isuzu related assets from General Motors South Africa (GMSA), effective January 2018 and subject to various regulatory approvals, as well as continue the manufacturing of Isuzu at the Struandale Plant in Port Elizabeth.
Barely a week after a number of key leadership appointments were announced in support of the decision and imminent take-over, Isuzu Motors South Africa on Tuesday appointed more senior Executives to head various positions as the structure of the company continues to unfold.
Recall that Isuzu had earlier appointed Haruyasu Tanishige as Chairman for the South African operations with Michael Sacke as Chief Executive Officer and Managing Director just as Hiroaki Sugawara, was named Executive Vice President, Strategy and Business Planning; Craig Uren, Executive Officer Sales, Service and Marketing and Mitsuteru Yageta, Group CFO.
On Tuesday, the company named seven more Managers, including Johan Vermeulen, Dominic Rimmer, Denise van Huyssteen, Elvis Hermans, Chris Jonck, Loren Meyer, Craig Uren, as members of its Executive Committee ahead of the full take-over in January 2018.
Johan Vermeulen, who was named Executive Manufacturing and Supply Chain, is the current Paintshop Manager for General Motors South Africa Struandale Plant. Prior to this, he was Head of Manufacturing Engineering and Facilities for eight years. He first joined Delta Motor Corporation in 1995 as a Maintenance Engineer, supporting the Struandale plant start-up project. Before joining the automotive industry, Vermeulen worked in the gold mining industry. In his new role, he will be responsible for the Manufacturing and Supply Chain Operations for the Isuzu operations.
Dominic Rimmer, Executive Technical Services, is currently General Manager of Planning and Programme Management for General Motors in Africa, incorporating both business and product planning for the company’s operations on the continent. Prior to this, he undertook an international assignment in Sao Paulo, Brazil for four years as Engineering Group Manager and before that as Vehicle Performance Manager. Rimmer began his career in the company’s Sales Department in 1989 where he held various positions before being appointed as the Opel Motorsport Manager in 1996. Rimmer, in his new role, will be responsible for the company’s Planning, Engineering and Purchasing operations as well as the quality of Isuzu vehicles.
Craig Uren, Executive Officer Sales, Service and Marketing, currently serves as Director and Chief Operating Officer for Isuzu Motors South Africa. He has played an instrumental role in ensuring the success of Isuzu’s truck business in South Africa over the past 12 years, including the achievement of the number one market share position in the medium and heavy commercial truck segments of the market. He first joined the motor industry in 1990 when he joined Delta Motor Corporation. Uren, in his new role, will assume Vehicle, Sales, Service and Marketing responsibility for the company’s light commercial vehicle and truck operations.
James Rodger, Executive Finance Operations, is currently the Product Finance Manager for General Motors in South Africa. He has served in various finance roles at the company for over 13 years. Prior to this, he was General Manager for the Company’s subsidiary business Precision Exhaust Systems, Financial Manager for Dupec Electronics and also worked in the exports area of the business. He has worked in the automotive industry since 1996 when he joined Delta Motor Corporation. Prior to this, he was the Manager of the Business Services Division at PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Loren Meyer, Chief Information Officer, has been the Chief Information Officer for General Motors in Africa since 2014, responsible for Information Technology strategy and operations. He joined Delta Motor Corporation in 2002 as an SAP Systems Analyst and later took on responsibility for Sales and Marketing IT systems. In the following years, he played a key role in implementing the SAP R/3 template across the company’s business on the African continent.Prior to joining the automotive industry, Meyer worked for a consulting company supporting medical practice applications
Denise van Huyssteen, Executive Corporate Affairs, is currently the General Manager Communications and PR for General Motors’ operations in Africa and the Middle East. In her new role for Isuzu, she will assume responsibility for Corporate Affairs incorporating internal and external communications as well as government relations. She first joined the automotive industry in 2000 through her appointment as Corporate Communications Manager for Delta Motor Corporation.
Elvis Hermans, Executive Human Capital, currently occupies the role of General Manager, Human Resources, Government Relations and Public Policy for General Motors in South Africa. In his new role, he will be responsible for Human Resources strategy and operations. He first joined General Motors in 2014 as Senior Manager for Government Relations and Public Policy and soon afterward was promoted into his current expanded role. He has a wealth of strategic and operational knowledge and 32 years experience in both Human Resources and Government Relations, having worked at various multinationals in the FMCG and automotive sectors. Hermans spent over 16 years at British American Tobacco South Africa in a combination of Human Resources, Risk Management and Corporate and Regulatory Affairs roles.
Chris Jonck, Executive Subsidiaries, Joint Ventures and Commercial Vehicles, is the current General Manager, Group Finance and Planning for Isuzu Trucks South Africa. In his new role, he will assume responsibility for the financial operations of the company’s subsidiaries, joint venture businesses and truck finance. He first joined Isuzu Trucks South Africa in 2013 in the position of Manager, Business Planning and Admin and prior to this was the Chief Accountant for a shared services company, CreditEdge.
Earlier this year, Isuzu Motors announced its intention to purchase GM South Africa’s Struandale Plant, the Vehicle Conversion and Distribution Centre and to also assume control over the Parts Distribution Centre. Isuzu said it will soon appoint a network of approximately 90 dealers in optimal locations around the country who are committed to serving the needs of both its bakkie and truck customers.
