Cars.co.za report offers interesting insights
Cars.co.za recently launched Industry Report 2026 at its DealerCon summit, offers insight into the forces shaping South Africa’s vehicle market.
- Dealer News
- 22 September 2026
Juan Wheeler has been appointed Managing Director of Nissan South Africa in addition to his current role as Chief Financial Officer of Nissan Africa.
Announcing the appointment, Jordi Vila, Divisional Vice President Nissan Europe & President Nissan Africa, AMIEO Aftersales and Customer Experience, says Juan was the perfect candidate to lead Nissan South Africa and build on its proud 60-year legacy in the country.
He began his career as a State Accountant for South Africa’s Department of Foreign Affairs before joining the automotive industry as an accountant with Ford Motor Company. He spent six years there in a variety of different financial roles learning the industry before moving to Volvo in 2003 as Finance and Warranty Manager, where he was exposed to the dealer side of the automotive business.
Returning to Ford, he went to Thailand, spending two years in Bangkok and then two years in Shanghai in China, where he was responsible for the region’s B-segment vehicles and forward model planning.
Juan moved to Jakarta in Indonesia as Finance Director for four years before spending a year in Vietnam where he was responsible for Ford’s manufacturing operation too.
His next appointment was as Ford’s Sales Finance Manager for the Middle East, based in Dubai. He returned to South Africa in 2018 to take up a position as Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), becoming CFO of Stellantis SA in 2021 following the merger of FCA and PSA. He joined Nissan Africa as Chief Financial Officer in 2025.
Nissan Africa Managing Director, Mohamed Abd El Samad, says Juan’s experience stood him in good stead for his new assignment. “Juan is a veteran not just of the South African automotive industry but globally, with extensive experience that spans back office to manufacturing and sales across multiple continents. “I look forward to working even more closely with him in this expanded role as Nissan Africa continues to unlock the potential that exists in this continent.”
Juan says he is immensely honoured by the appointment and the faith shown in him.
“Nissan is an incredible company with a wonderful legacy. Some of my earliest automotive memories involve Nissan vehicles, in which I travelled the length and the breadth of this country. It is a great privilege to now be asked to lead this same company in South Africa as we embark upon our next exciting chapter.”
Cars.co.za recently launched Industry Report 2026 at its DealerCon summit, offers insight into the forces shaping South Africa’s vehicle market.
Nissan has introduced the Tekton, a new compact SUV for the South African market. The model is built on the Renault‑Nissan alliance’s CMF‑B platform and is closely related to the Renault Duster, sharing engines and mechanical components.
At the recent DealerCon 2026, hosted by Cars.co.za automotive excellence was celebrated by honouring top executives in the automotive retails industry.
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