After 88 years of existence, naamsa (The Automotive Business Council), has proudly announced that Billy Tom has been elected as its first black President during the organisation’s Annual General Assembly recently held in Kariega in the Eastern Cape.
Naamsa President: Billy Tom (CEO Isuzu Southern Africa).
Vice President: Manufacturing OEMs: Peter van Binsbergen (CEO BMW Group South Africa).
Vice President: Retailing OEMs: Thato Magasa (Managing Director Mitsubishi South Africa).
Vice President: Medium & Heavy Commercial OEMs: Jan Aichnger (Managing Director: MAN Automotive).
Immediate Past President: Neale Hill (President and CEO: Ford Southern Africa).
Executive Director: Mikel Mabasa (naamsa CEO).
The election of Billy as naamsa’s first black president is significant and practical proof that the auto industry in South Africa has embraced transformation and is now embedding it within its ranks. “Billy is not the only black leader on the naamsa Board, we now have three black leaders out of the six available positions on the naamsa Board.
“All the newly elected leaders, without exception, bring a considerable wealth of expertise and experience. They will undoubtedly drive the industry’s continued growth and success, particularly at this time when the industry is undergoing unprecedented levels of technological transformation and innovative adaptation backed by new energy vehicles and cleaner and safer vehicle technologies and fuels,” says naamsa CEO, Mikel Mabasa.
“It is clear that the year 2023 stands as a crossroad between a possible future and a deferred one. The opportunity cost of finalising the new energy vehicle policy and the vehicle compulsory standard development regulations is real because both these policies are critical for giving SA a chance at being a production destination of choice.
“The automotive industry has faced severe challenges over the years, including supply chain challenges, COVID19-fuelled disruptions, semiconductor shortages, domestic climate change floods, rocketing inflation affecting the cost of production and consumers' buying power,” Mikel says.
“Our newly elected naamsa Board of Directors has a mammoth task of leading the broader automotive industry in dealing with many of the economic shocks confronting our domestic economic life, whose effects continue to be felt with time lags.
“Furthermore, we are confident that the naamsa Board will support the SA business fraternity and government in addressing policy, legislative and regulatory matters to assist in harnessing the operating environment in favour of business,” he concludes.
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You can't buy happiness but you can buy cars and that's kind of the same thing.
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