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(By Olaolu Olusina/Olaolu.olusina@autoreportafrica.com)
Chairperson and Managing Director, Volkswagen Group South Africa’s (VWSA), Martina Biene, is without doubt “Proudly German” with a South African heart . The newly-elected President of the African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM) , who had one of her first official assignments clearly spelt out at the third edition of the Intra African Trade Fair (IATF 2023), which held recently in Cairo, Egypt, became passionate about Africa after an internship in Cape Town before joining Volkswagen in Germany.
Biene, who now leads the entire Volkswagen Group operations in Africa, with grand expansion plans for a continent with full potential, left no one in doubt as to her suitability and capability to lead the apex body of auto industry manufacturers in Africa.
Sporting a designer jacket from Laduma Ngxokolo of MAXHOSA, a South African luxury fashion brand with roots in the Eastern Cape province, where Volkswagen has its manufacturing plant , Biene, standing tall, bold and elegant, did not mince words in making a strong case for the development of the automotive industry in Africa.
As she joined other industry leaders and major stakeholders at different sessions of the well-attended Automotive Summit, which was a major part of the IATF 2023 event organised by AAAM with the full support of Afreximbank, Biene was more than convinced that the IATF’s theme of “Connecting African Markets” was appropriate, “considering that Intra-African trade currently only accounts for 16 percent of total African trade.”
Sharing her experience after the highly successful event, the AAAM President said: “I’ve just returned from the third instalment (edition) of the Intra-African Trade Fair (IATF) 2023, which was held in Cairo, Egypt, in my capacity as AAAM President.
‘’IATF’s theme of “Connecting African Markets” was appropriate considering that Intra-African trade currently only accounts for 16 percent of total African trade.
‘’In my opening remarks, I stressed the fact that the time to act and boost trade on the continent was yesterday. Specifically for the automotive industry, addressing and focusing on AfCFTA advancing trade in Africa, auto policy development, a used car import ban, ideally for vehicles under five years, bi-lateral trade agreements, cleaner fuels for Africa, mineral transformation and raw material processing, as well as the transport and logistics value chain, will significantly grow the automotive industry on the continent.
“The World Bank states that manufacturing exports are anticipated to make the most gains: a 110 percent increase for intra-African trade and 46 percent for non-African trade. My greatest wish for the continent is to take advantage of the immense opportunities the AfCFTA provides by ensuring policies are in place to foster this growth.
“Thank you to Dave Coffey, CEO of AAAM, for the great work and collaboration in promoting the automotive sector across the continent.”
Not New to Africa
Biene is not really new to Africa as she has a long – term experience with the continent and its people. She is also in love with the culture and tradition of her hosts even as she’s proudly German. She disclosed that she became passionate about Africa after completing an internship in Cape Town before joining Volkswagen in Germany . Biene was Head of the Volkswagen Brand at VWSA from 1 October 2018 to August 2020 when she moved back to Germany for a new position at the Volkswagen headquarters in Wolfsburg from 1 September 2020. Biene, who had been in South Africa for nearly two years, took up a new position as Head of G1 Baureihe (Product Management of A0 cars) reporting to the Volkswagen Brand CEO Ralf Brandstätter.
Biene’s ability and interest in embracing the South African culture and integrate into the local society, really enabled her to understand the local automotive market. In 2019, during her tenure as Head of the Volkswagen Brand, Volkswagen’s market share in the passenger car market grew to a record 20.4 per cent, the highest since 1996.
Moving Back to Germany
Commenting on Biene’s ability and talent, Sales and Marketing Director for VWSA at the time, Mike Glendinning, said: “Martina’s appointment is testimony to her talent and skill and whilst we are disappointed that she is leaving us, we wish her everything of the best for the next chapter in her career.
“Martina’s stewardship of the Volkswagen Brand during her relatively short tenure has been excellent. She has made a positive impact with regard to strategy development especially on topics like digitalisation, connectivity and other future orientated aspects of our business.”
Return to South Africa
Biene, who has put in well over two decades of work experience at the Volkswagen Group, having worked in Sales, Marketing, Product Planning and Product Marketing for Luxury Vehicles and the Volkswagen Brand in Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and South Africa , returned to VWSA in October 2022 to take over from Robert Cisek as the Chairperson and Managing Director of VWSA .
Cisek had taken over the reins at VWSA in November 2020 at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic and successfully led VWSA through a turbulent period of semiconductor shortages, which impacted Kariega plant production and vehicle sales. Cisek also ensured that no jobs were lost at VWSA during the period.
Chairman of the Volkswagen Group, Thomas Schaefer, was full of praise and appreciation for Cisek and Biene on their new postings.
“I would like to thank Robert for steering VWSA to a stable position during a highly challenging period for the local and global automotive industry. I am looking forward to having him back in Wolfsburg to head our small and compact product line, which will play an important part in the future of our product portfolio in emerging markets like South Africa,” Schaefer said.
He added, “Martina is returning to the market which she knows very well after her successful time as the Head of the Volkswagen Brand Sales and Marketing. Her mandate is to sustain VWSA’s strong position in South Africa, and to continue to pursue Volkswagen’s plans to grow the Brand in the Sub-Saharan Africa markets.
“I wish both Robert and Martina success in their new roles. I am confident that their experience and commitment to Volkswagen will benefit their teams positively.”
Emerging AAAM President
Barely a year after returning to South Africa, Biene is already achieving the tasks set for her as her performance and impact ensured her emergence as the new President of AAAM), taking over from Mike Whitfield, Managing Director, Stellantis South Africa, who had been AAAM President since July 2020. Whitfield remains on the Executive of AAAM as the Immediate Past President.
Established in November 2015 with Jeff Nemeth from Ford as the first President and Mike Whitfield as the Vice President, AAAM is the only African body focusing on the expansion and deepening of the automotive industry across the continent, by working with governments to shape policies that will attract investors to unlock the economic potential of the continent and align a global network of stakeholders, committed to the development of the automotive industry in Africa.
During Whitfield’s tenure at AAAM, a Continental Automotive Strategy and Implementation Plan was developed in conjunction with the AfCFTA Secretariat, Africa Union (AU), UNECA, Afreximbank and ARSO and this was adopted as a living document by the AfCFTA Council of Ministers at a meeting in Botswana in February 2023. An AfCFTA Automotive Task Force was also formed to oversee, guide and implement this Strategy under the supervision of the Council of Ministers with the immediate priority to resolve the Rules of Origin.
AAAM’s role and importance in developing the automotive industry has also been recognised by the private sector which has resulted in AAAM’s membership growing from some 17 members in 2020 to the current 63 members.
AAAM Exco
Biene is currently joined on the new AAAM Executive by the following:
Mike Whitfield, Managing Director Stellantis South Africa – Past President
Andrew Kirby, President and CEO of Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM) – Vice President
Markus Thill, President, Region Africa, Robert Bosch – Vice President
Jeffrey Oppong Peprah, CEO of Volkswagen Ghana – Vice President
Dr. Ahmed Fikry, Managing Director for East Port Said for Main Development Co. (EP) and Managing Director for Egyptian German Automotive Co.(EGA) – Vice President
Dave Coffey – Chief Executive Officer
Passion for Africa
Looking back and reflecting on her journey so far, especially in Africa, Biene said: “I became passionate about Africa after completing an internship in Cape Town before joining Volkswagen in Germany.
“My career has allowed me to return to Africa to help with the industrialisation of Africa through the automotive industry which will help to create opportunities and sustainable jobs. I am thankful for the work that Mike and the AAAM team have done to date and I am humbled to be able to play a key role through AAAM to grow the automotive manufacturing industry from the 1.1 million vehicles a year today to some 3.5 million or even 5 million by 2035,” said Biene, after being voted into her new position by the voting members of AAAM.
- Click the links below to read this and other stories from our digital magazines:
- AUTO REPORT AFRICA DIGITAL MAGAZINE. DECEMBER 2023
- LUBES WEST AFRICA DIGITAL MAGAZINE, DECEMBER 2023.
