Audi Middle East has announced the appointment of a new managing director for the region.

Australian Jeff Mannering is the first in the succession of managing directors to be appointed directly from within the ranks of the organisation, a statement said.

In addition to Mannering’s leadership skills and knowledge of the organisation, his orientation towards aftersales excellence as the backbone of the automotive business were deciding factors, it said.

Mannering, 43, has been in the automotive industry since 1982. After 15 years with two major Japanese brands he moved to Audi Aftersales where he spent eight years with Audi Australia and a further two years as head of aftersales of Audi Middle East. Among his most notable achievements for the region was the setting up of the Middle East Training Center as well as Parts Distribution Center with an overall investment of approximately $10 million. –TradeArabia News Service