Driving business growth while fostering career development is the organizational goal.
The management changes at BMW Group Asia will go into effect on 1 July 2023, which will see four members of the existing team take on new roles and responsibilites.
“In 2022, BMW appointed a second dealer in Singapore and began local production in Vietnam to support growing demand in the respective markets,” said Mr. Lars Nielsen, Managing Director, BMW Group Asia. “We also increased sales volume at an unprecedented rate in Indonesia, emphasizing the need to rethink business processes, ensure higher business efficiencies, and provide increased attention on local development and growth. In order to best support these business developments, we have made the bold decision to rotate roles and responsibilities within the existing management team effective 1 July 2023.”
First up is Mr. Lee Hwee Siong, who will relocate to Vietnam to take the role of Head of Business Development, Vietnam once local production has started there. Mr. Lee has been with BMW Group Asia since 1992 and is highly experienced in sales, aftersales and dealer development.
“There is a great deal of growth potential in the Vietnam market waiting to be unearthed. By building on his strong relationships with THACO, the authorized distributor of BMW, MINI and Motorrad in Vietnam, we believe Mr. Lee will bring the BMW Group brands to the next level in the market,” said Mr. Nielsen.
Mr. Lee’s role as Sales Channel and Network Development Director will be taken over by the current Director of Corporate Affairs, Ms. Preeti Gupta, who joined BMW Group Asia in 2016 and developed a deep understanding of the group’s business, its customers and how they engage with the group’s brands.
Commenting on this move, Mr. Nielsen said, “we are reaching a turning point in our network strategy as we roll out the Retail.Next strategy, work towards a more sustainable dealer network, and look to modernize the customer journey. For this to be a success, we are placing increased focus on communication within our Dealer Network and to our customers. We believe Preeti’s experience is exactly what we need as we look to stand out from the crowd.”
Succeeding Ms. Gupta as Director of Corporate Affairs will be Mr. Kidd Yam who is currently the head of MINI Asia. Mr. Yam started with BMW Malaysia in 2010 in a variety of roles in Product, Sales and Marketing before moving to Singapore in 2018 to assume his current role.
“His knowledge of BMW and MINI will be vital in the coming years as we launch the new MINI model family in 2024 and prepare for the coming of the Neue Klasse,” said Mr. Nielsen.
Last but not least, Mr. Daren Ching will assume the role of Head of MINI Asia after serving as Director of Marketing for BMW Asia for two years. Mr. Ching joined the group in 2005 and has experience in Sales and Marketing in several regional markets including Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore.
“This is a great opportunity for Mr. Ching to leverage his experience in the region and help drive growth for the MINI brand as they prepare for the next chapter in their story,” said Mr. Nielsen. Mr. Ching’s successor has yet to be named.
At BMW Group Asia, business development happens in tandem with people development.
“Just as our business evolves and grows, our people must do the same,” said Mr. Nielsen. “This is an opportunity for everyone to step out of their comfort zone, challenge themselves, and bring fresh perspectives to their roles and the business. Every organization needs this from time-to-time in order to stay one step ahead. I look forward to the great things to come from this team and the entire management team at BMW Group Asia.”
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