Japanese automaker Nissan has appointed Bader El Houssami as the new chief operating officer for Saudi Arabia, effective July 1.

Based in Jeddah, Bader will be responsible for the company’s day-to-day operational functions as it continues to consolidate its robust position within the kingdom’s fiercely competitive automotive market, said the company in a statement.
 
A graduate in business studies specialising in marketing from Beirut University College in his native Lebanon, 48-year-old El Houssami has an impressive track record in the automotive industry and a wealth of experience in the kingdom itself.

His appointment comes at a time when the Saudi market assumes ever greater significance for Nissan’s Middle East business.

El Houssami will report to Kalyana Sivagnanam, Nissan’s Regional Vice President (Marketing and Sales) for Middle East and Africa (MEA) and India and additionally president of Nissan Middle East.

“We are delighted to have secured the services of Bader for Nissan here in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia,” remarked Sivagnanam.

"El Houssami’s CV and track record in the industry speak for themselves and we are confident that he will make a significant contribution to maintaining Nissan Saudi on its current trajectory of continued sales growth, excellent customer satisfaction levels and a high degree of motivation within our highly trained workforce," he stated.

"His considerable experience of successfully managing people, combined with the breadth of his knowledge and hands-on experience within the industry made him the standout candidate for this challenging position," he added.
 
El Houssami gained much of his experience in both the kingdom and the wider Gulf region with General Motors, including most lately as head of operations at Mebco Middle East and Africa, a joint venture manufacturing batteries for GM’s ACDelco brand in Dammam.
 
On the new role, he said: "Joining Nissan in this position marks a very exciting moment in both my professional career and personal life and I am very much looking forward to getting started in my new role."

"Nissan’s operations in Saudi Arabia are complex and varied. My job will be to ensure that we, as a company within the Kingdom, continue to perform at the top of our game, always pushing to achieve more," he added.-TradeArabia News Service