Victoria Backhaus-Jerling (photo) has been appointed as the new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM).
She succeeds Dave Coffey, who has served as CEO since February 2020 and is retiring after five years. Victoria will be the first woman to lead the AAAM as CEO.
Martina Biene, President of AAAM as well as Chairperson and Managing Director of Volkswagen Group Africa, expressed her congratulations: “On behalf of the AAAM Management Board, I congratulate Victoria on her appointment. She has demonstrated remarkable expertise and commitment to the development of the African automotive industry, and our board is confident she will lead AAAM to even greater achievements. We are also proud to welcome the first woman to fill this pivotal role.”
“We also extend our gratitude to Dave for his tireless dedication in transforming AAAM into a highly respected organisation. Under his leadership, AAAM has grown from 17 members in 2020 to 80 members today and has become a key player in advancing automotive industrialisation in Africa,” Martina adds.
Before her appointment, Victoria served as Head of the Project Office in South Africa for the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) since October 2020.
Victoria says she is honoured to be appointed into this role, and she looks forward to building on the strong foundation established by Dave and the AAAM team. “My focus will be on driving collaboration, inclusivity and innovation across the continent, ensuring that AAAM continues to serve its members and stakeholders effectively. We have declared 2025 the year of collaboration and inclusivity, and I am excited to work with partners to further industrialise and grow Africa’s automotive industry.”
Volkswagen has marked 75 years of vehicle production and sales in South Africa with a gala event in Kariega attended by President Cyril Ramaphosa, while also revealing the new Volkswagen Tengo, the third model to be built at the local plant. The Tengo will be produced for the South African and wider markets.
BAIC South Africa used the Festival of Motoring 2026 at Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit to highlight both its established range and new energy vehicle ambitions. The event marked the first public appearance of ARCFOX in South Africa, alongside the unveiling of BAIC’s X55 Plug‑in Hybrid Electric Vehicle.
South Africa’s automotive parts industry has experienced significant contraction in recent years, with official data from the National Association of Automotive Component and Allied Manufacturers (NAACAM) and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) confirming widespread job losses and company closures.
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Volkswagen has marked 75 years of vehicle production and sales in South Africa with a gala event in Kariega attended by President Cyril Ramaphosa, while also revealing the new Volkswagen Tengo, the third model to be built at the local plant. The Tengo will be produced for the South African and wider markets.
South Africa’s automotive parts industry has experienced significant contraction in recent years, with official data from the National Association of Automotive Component and Allied Manufacturers (NAACAM) and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) confirming widespread job losses and company closures.
The Festival of Motoring (FOM) opened its doors to the public today at the Kyalami Grand Prix Circuit and will run until Sunday. Over the course of the weekend, vehicle manufacturers from across the industry will showcase their latest offerings, with several models having already been launched to the motoring media yesterday.
