Following a successful year in the domestic market for the world’s largest automotive manufacturer, Volkswagen recently held a changing-of-the-guard ceremony at the Atrium of the Enderun Colleges in Taguig. The event coincided with the media appreciation night and the launch of the 2017 Beetle.
At the helm of Volkswagen Ph operations starting this month is Ayala corporation veteran Arthur R. Tan. He is concurrently CEO of Integrated Micro-Electronics, a global IT firm who is into micro chip manufacturing and automotive electronics, Tan can be considered as an old hand in the industry. “This gathering is significant for me, as this is my first time to meet and address you in my role as the new President and CEO of AC Industrials, to which Volkswagen Philippines belongs,” says Tan, who also loves to ride his KTM motorcycle as much as he can.
The newly minted VW President and CEO also disclosed his plans for the brand this year. “Ayala Corporation’s strong interest and investments in mobility, as represented by AC Industrials, virtually assures us that Volkswagen Philippines will remain very competitive in a local automotive industry and an economy, in general, in the middle of unprecedented growth, with a record-breaking 400,000 vehicles sold in 2016 and a 6.8-percent GDP rate, respectively,” he adds.
The company has stated that it would expand further its corporate fleet accounts. It has also revealed plans to add new vehicles in the premium commercial segment such as the Caddy, the Crafter, and the T6 Kombi. In the pipeline also are new versions of the Jetta, the Golf, the Tiguan as well as the iconic Beetle- most of which are equipped with TDI engines and DSG transmissions. Also, they will bring in new cars in the entry-level segment that still retain the world-class German engineering, heritage, and automotive craftsmanship Volkswagen is renowned for.
Tan also took the opportunity to express his gratitude to former Volkswagen Ph president JP Orbeta for his stewardship of the German automaker during the first three years of operations. “JP’s tenure here at VW saw the company reaching new heights from dealer network expansion and to steering the company to becoming a major player in the domestic market,” says Tan. Volkswagen Ph currently has eight dealers nationwide.