Please see below for the fortnightly news update from Ennis & Co, where we aim to bring you the very latest information within automotive from various UK-based and international media sources.
This week’s update covers the following topics:
· New appointments in the industry
· Automotive news
· Automotive trends
· “Ones to Watch”: the latest automotive webinars
| New appointments within automotive |
 Yutaka Yano appointed as President of Mitsubishi Motors Middle East and Africa Yano was previously the general manager for the Middle East at Mitsubishi Motors Corporation in Tokyo. Yano will oversee the GCC, Levant and Africa regions, and will be based in Dubai. Read the full article here |
 David Myers appointed new Rivus CEO Rivus has named David Myers, a former regional managing director of Wolseley, as its new CEO. Read the full article here |
 PSA Group appoints Charles Martin as Citroen UK sales director PSA Group UK’s Charles Martin will join Citroën UK as its new sales director in the new year as the brand begins to implement its new ‘Citroën Advance UK’ retail strategy. Read the full article here |
 Hero MotoCorp appoints Michael Clarke as Chief Operating Officer Hero MotoCorp has appointed global mobility expert Michael Clarke to the newly created position of Chief Operating Officer (COO), with the additional role of Chief Human Resources Officer (CHRO). Read the full article here |
 PSA Group UK MD Alison Jones appointed as SMMT vice-president The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has appointed PSA Group UK’s managing director, Alison Jones, as its new vice-president. The MD of the French carmakers Citroen, DS Automobiles and Peugeot brands, and the current holder of Cox Automotive’s Barbara Cox Woman of the Year Award, took up her new post on 1st December. Read the full article here |
 DS Automobiles UK appoints Jules Tilstone as new managing director DS Automobiles UK has appointed the PSA Group-owned premium brand’s European commercial director, Jules Tilstone, as its new managing director. Read the full article here |
 MG Motor UK appoints former Richmond Motor Group Operations Director MG Motor UK has appointed former Richmond Motor Group operations director and Hyundai Motor UK sales director Guy Pigounakis as one of two senior hires designed to help drive its electric vehicle (EV) sales push. Read the full article here |
| Automotive Trends |
| Technology |
| Volvo uses gaming technology to develop safer cars Volvo Cars engineers call it ‘the ultimate driving simulator’, but it is not just an excuse for them to indulge their inner basement gamer. Instead, the Swedish company’s ground-breaking mixed-reality simulator is used to make new strides in safety and autonomous driving technology. Read the full article here |
| Used car platform Carzam launches in U.K. New online automotive platform was launched in the UK on the 3rd December, adding to the competitive UK online automotive marketplace. Read the full article here |
| Cox Automotive and Rivus to support EV brand Fisker’s UK expansion US car brand Fisker is planning to launch a fully electric SUV in the UK by 2023, with aftersales and logistical support from Cox Automotive and Rivus. In a similar model to that of Polestar, the electric car will be sold directly to consumers via online channels. Read the full article here |
| Automotive retail |
| Rolls-Royce London takes services online from temporary Mayfair location Rolls-Royce Motor Cars London now offers a full virtual showroom experience from its temporary location, which will be carried over to its permanent Mayfair home on Berkeley Street. Its most popular service is a full virtual ‘walkaround’ briefing via secure video conferencing, familiarising existing and prospective clients with the manifold hidden-until-requested technologies within all products in the marque’s portfolio. Read the full article here |
| Mobility |
| Toyota announces the launch of KINTO Europe – a new mobility services company for the region KINTO is evolving its mobility services brand from a project to a business with the launch of a new mobility company, KINTO Europe. A joint venture between Toyota Motor Europe (TME) and Toyota Financial Services (TFS) KINTO Europe will be based in Cologne, Germany, and commence operations in April 2021, managing a growing range of KINTO mobility services and products across the region. Read the full article here |
| Uber sells self-driving arm to American firm Uber has sold its self-driving development arm to autonomous technology company Aurora. Set up by the mobility firm when it hired 40 roboticists from Carnegie Mellon in 2015, the Pittsburgh-based Advanced Technologies offshoot has been bought for an undisclosed sum. Read the full article here |
| Ones to Watch |
 Auto Trader: Planning for 2021, Independent Special16th December 2020, 10-11am GMT ‘As 2020 draws to a close we’ll be joined by some of our independent retailers to discuss what 2021 might look like for automotive.’ Find out more here |
