Zawawi Trading Company, the authorized general distributor of Mercedes-Benz in Oman, has appointed Craig Hardie as the new chief executive officer.

With more than 20 years of experience in automotive industry, Hardie joins Zawawi after  his tenure at Chrysler International as head of market management Western Europe and head of Marketing and Communications EMEA.

In his new role Hardie’s core responsibility will be to further develop the Mercedes-Benz business and sales in Oman, said a Zawawi statement.

As the leading premium car brand in the Omani market, Hardie’s key focus will be to build on the Mercedes-Benz market position through the expansion of passenger car and commercial vehicle sales, as well as the after sales network, across the next few years.

The development of the premium used car operation will also form a critical component of Hardie’s plans, which will provide a complementary platform for existing customers whilst also drive future growth.

Commenting on his new role, Hardie, said: “Our partnership with Mercedes-Benz has existed for more than 37 years and in that time ZTC has established itself as a market leader in all segments of the Mercedes-Benz product range."

"In my new role I look forward to driving Mercedes-Benz further in market share and continue to maximise opportunities for their current and forthcoming range of new models and technologies," he noted.

The Middle East is not unfamiliar territory for Hardie, with more than 10 years experience in the region including his role as Head of Marketing and Communications for Chrysler, Jeep and Dodge, the statement added.-TradeArabia News Service