Kia’s Tasman bakkie arrives in South Africa
Kia has taken a bold step into one of South Africa’s most competitive automotive segments with the launch of the Tasman, its first-ever double cab bakkie.
- Product News
- 9 April 2026
Volkswagen Group Africa has announced the appointment of Simphiwe Nghona as Sales and Marketing Director, effective 1 May 2025.
Simphiwe, who succeeds previous director Thomas Milz, has served as the Head of Sales and Marketing at VWGA’s National Sales Organisation (NSO) since 1 July 2024. He now steps into this key leadership role to further drive the company’s strategic sales and marketing business unit.
Simphiwe is a seasoned professional with 27 years of experience in the automotive and financial services industry. His extensive expertise spans across the automotive importers, distributors, OEMs and dealers of the broader African continent. This wealth of experience has equipped him with deep insights into various complex business environments, especially in the asset-lending space and the automotive sector at large.
Throughout his career, Simphiwe has consistently demonstrated strong leadership abilities, managing diverse teams and overseeing critical business relationships. His work has taken him into multiple environments, both within Africa and beyond, further strengthening his ability to navigate dynamic and evolving markets.
Prior to joining VWGA, Simphiwe served as Group Head of Vehicle and Asset Finance at Standard Bank, where he was responsible for the strategy and execution of five key business units across 14 African countries.
He has served as Divisional CEO of the Motor Division at WesBank, where he led sales, marketing and strategic relationships with key stakeholders, including OEMs, motor dealers and financial partners.
He also gained valuable experience as Dealer Principal and Executive Director at the VW Market Square dealership (part of the Kelston Motor Group) in Kariega, overseeing dealership operations and strengthening customer and supplier relationships.
Simphiwe holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Business Management from Henley Business School (University of Reading, UK) and has completed an Advanced Management Programme at INSEAD Business School in France. He is furthermore an alumnus of St Andrew’s College in Grahamstown.
His dynamic leadership, strategic vision and commitment to excellence make him an invaluable addition to VWGA’s executive team. He is also Chairman of the Boards for both the Volkswagen Ghana and Volkswagen Mobility Solutions Rwanda subsidiaries and serves as a non-executive Director for VW Financial Services, representing the Volkswagen Group.
“We are delighted to welcome Simphiwe into his new role as Sales and Marketing Director. His extensive industry experience, strategic mindset and leadership capabilities will undoubtedly strengthen our team and drive our growth initiatives forward. We look forward to seeing the positive impact he will have on our business,” says Martina Biene, Chairperson and Managing Director of VWGA.
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