Brian Joss – Nissan Africa, Middle East and India (AMI) unveiled a comprehensive four-year strategy for the region under the company’s Global Transformation Plan.
The AMI business plan aligns with the global direction of rationalization, prioritization and focus to bring core models and technologies to a region that accounts for around 10% of the world automotive market.
The company will build on Nissan’s existing strengths in the region including continued growth in key markets and strong brand presence, maximising synergies with Alliance partners and leveraging an expansive and competitive manufacturing presence in South Africa, Egypt, India and Nigeria.
Nissan Chief Operating Officer, Ashwani Gupta, said: “Africa, Middle East and India is an important region where we will target investment in existing strengths, including SUV, and bring eight new products to the market. By driving efficiencies through the Alliance and focusing on core competencies, we will further increase the region’s profitability, especially in key markets including the Gulf, South Africa and Egypt.”
Chairman of the Africa, Middle East and India region, Guillaume Cartier, commented: “The AMI region has enormous potential with some of the most dynamic and diverse automotive markets in the world.”
“Nissan has already established a strong foundation for sustained growth with high brand equity, a deeply embedded heritage of Nissan DNA and culture and a long history of dedicated and experienced business partners in retail and manufacturing.”
“Through the mid-term, we will remain focused on driving value for the business by meeting the needs of our customers across the region.”
AMI will follow the global transformation strategy, announced last month by Chief Executive Officer, Makoto Uchida, which aims to achieve sustainable growth, financial stability and profitability by the end of fiscal-year 2023.
In line with Nissan’s global plan, the AMI strategy is developed around two strategic areas of ‘rationalization’ and ‘prioritization and focus’; rationalise actions to improve regional cost and efficiency; optimise the regional product portfolio by 20%; further increase the cost competitiveness of local plant; seek and enhance export opportunities from AMI plants; leverage additional opportunities to reduce Fixed Cost; and, focus on actions to build on key strengths in products, markets and technolog Nissan also has plans to reveal eight new models putting the emphasis on Sports Utility Vehicles (SUV) and affordable sedan models (B-sedan segment).
Cartier added: “Today, AMI is a region with opportunity for significant growth. Over the next four years we will transform opportunity to reality by bringing the right products, services and technologies to deliver lasting positive change for the business, our partners and customers.”
CAPTION; Guillaume Cartier: AMI has enormous potential. Picture: Motorpress
