She has been the financial manager at the group’s JLR dealership in the Mpumalanga capital since 2020, while also taking care of the brand in Polokwane, which now boasts its own Dealer Principal.

“I love our new brands, Jetour and Foton, which offer exceptional value for money. Land Rovers are in my blood and have been part of my life for many decades. We always had a Land Rover in our family, and I love overlanding trips, and I simply live the ‘Landy’ lifestyle,” she tells Dealerfloor.

Leana says although her husband had his own Ford dealership in the Lowveld, Land Rovers have been part of their lifestyle. With a BCom and two honours degrees, she joined her husband in their family business learning all the ins and outs of the retail world.

“The business was later sold, and I joined Supergroup Dealerships as the financial manager for JLR and other brands within Supergroup Dealerships’ portfolio. Now, as the general manager for the brand, as well as for the other two Chinese brands in the Lowveld, I consider it an honour and I am looking forward to help increase our brands’ footprint in the Lowveld,” she says.

Leana tells Dealerfloor that three brands share premises in the city close to a number of other competitors. “We have the Mozambican and Eswatini markets on our doorstep, which is to our benefit. Our region has some of the best-known tourist attractions and a landscape that lends itself to our brands, especially Land Rover.

“Mbombela is a growing city with large projects underway and as the only JLR dealership in Mpumalanga, we flourish with more opportunity to grow the business. Jetour as an SUV is gaining good traction in our region, and with Foton we are increasingly showing the product’s worth,” she says.

Asked about her goals as the new general manager, Leana, tells us that one of her main aims is to meet their sales targets through first-class service and making more customers part of their ‘family’. “We have a great team, and my managers at the different brands are on top of their game. We operate as a team across brands with great success.

“Mbombela might be a big place, but it still has a rural feel about it with many people knowing each other, so personal interactions and experiences lead to long-lasting relationships, exactly what we want,” Leana says.

And what about the passion for Landies? “We have just restored a 2003 Land Rover Defender 130, which we refurbished from top to bottom and is close to my heart. There is always a place for a Landy in our home,” Leana concludes.