Autofocus Podcast

A Milestone Celebration in Dubai

In a grand event at the Bulgari Resort in Dubai, Pagani Automobili celebrated its 25th anniversary in the Middle East, an occasion that honoured the brand's remarkable journey and introduced the Pagani Utopia to the region. This celebration brought together the Pagani community, including esteemed clients and members of the press, to celebrate a legacy of automotive innovation and artistry.

Horacio Pagani: The Dreamer and Innovator

Horacio Pagani's story is one of passion, vision, and relentless pursuit of excellence. From his early days in Argentina to his significant contributions at Lamborghini and the founding of Pagani Automobili, Horacio's journey has been driven by the belief that art and science must coexist harmoniously in automotive design. His creations, including the iconic Zonda and Huayra, stand as a testament to this philosophy, blending breathtaking aesthetics with groundbreaking engineering.

The Utopia (The Shape of AIR): Embarking on a New Chapter

The unveiling of the Utopia at the 25th-anniversary event marked the beginning of a new era for Pagani. Symbolising the brand's ongoing evolution, the Utopia embodies Horacio Pagani's vision for the future, merging timeless design with state-of-the-art technology. This hypercar, limited to just 99 specimens, represents the pinnacle of Pagani's craftsmanship and innovation, setting a new standard for the industry.

A Conversation with Horacio Pagani: Reflections and Visions

In an enlightening podcast conversation, Horacio Pagani shared his reflections on the past 25 years and his visions for the future of Pagani Automobili. This discussion provided invaluable insights into the challenges and achievements that have shaped the brand, offering a source of inspiration for aspiring designers and automotive enthusiasts alike.

Pagani's Journey: From Zonda to Utopia

Pagani's journey from the launch of the Zonda to the introduction of the Utopia has been marked by continuous innovation and a commitment to excellence. Each model in Pagani's lineup represents a chapter in the brand's story, showcasing advancements in design, performance, and technology. The Zonda and Huayra, with their unique designs and impressive capabilities, have cemented Pagani's reputation as a leader in the hypercar segment.

Pagani in the Middle East: A Growing Legacy

The Middle East has played a significant role in Pagani's story, with a passionate community of enthusiasts and collectors. The 25th-anniversary event in Dubai highlighted the brand's strong presence in the region and its commitment to engaging with its loyal clientele. As Pagani continues to grow, the Middle East remains a key market, with its appreciation for luxury and performance aligning perfectly with Pagani's values.

Conclusion: A Journey of Artistic and Technical Mastery

As Pagani Automobili celebrates 25 years in the Middle East, the brand stands as a testament to the power of combining artistry with engineering excellence. The anniversary event in Dubai, and the introduction of the Utopia, underscore Pagani's ongoing journey of innovation and its dedication to creating hypercars that are not just vehicles, but works of art. With Horacio Pagani's visionary leadership, the brand is poised to continue its legacy of excellence, inspiring the automotive world for years to come.

In this episode of the Autofocus Podcast, we are with Mark Carson, Customer Service and Quality Director at Renault Middle East.

With over 30 years of experience in the industry, 20 of them at Renault and 13 of them in and around electric mobility, Mark brings the perspective of someone who has been at the forefront of shaping what we consider present and future mobility. In his current role, Mark is responsible for Renault's Customer Experience Program, the customer experience performance delivered by the Dealer Network, and all things Electric Vehicles: Awareness, After-Sales, and Product Compliance.

In the episode, Mark took us on a journey of electrification and electrification in the region. Highlights include how in 2007 Renault went directly into fully electric vehicles, a bold move that skipped the hybrid-trend, how in 2012 the iconic Twizy began appearing in the region even though it wasn't supposed to be available here, and how in 2014 the EV market in Jordan got a massive kickstart.

What was intereting was how Mark connected a lot of dots in the ecosystem: regulation, pricing, awareness, the second hand market, and after sales. He also talked about the importance of partnerships between OEMs and dealers, and how we might go about promoting sustainable energy and mobility in the region.

Mark also shared insights on where Renault plans to go with its electric and clean vehicle portfolio and and how Expo 2020 has the potential to highlight the realities of tomorrow.

For more detailed show notes and video highlights visit amenaauto.org/autofocus

In this episode of the Autofocus Podcast, we are joined by Ben Pullen, Co-Founder & CEO of Generation.e. Ben has spent most of his entire career in sustainable energy and mobility. In 2015 he created what Generation E with a mission to inspire transformation to smarter mobility through Conferences and Electric Vehicle Road Trips.

Ben kicks off the episode sharing with us how his journey has taken him from working with sustainable energy to sustainable mobility. He speaks to us about the natural interaction between renewable energy and the electrification and how it was this realisation that led him into the mobility space. Having completed his Masters in Energy Management, Ben has been exposed to players in natural gas and oil as well as renewable technology; he shares with us how the two have vastly different approaches to change within the industry. Ben goes on to give us an insight into the mobility differences that differentiate major cities all over the world as well as the challenges that unite them; such as the impact of mobility on health and the environment.

We also talk about the realistic future of mobility. Ben touches on the idea of electrification being 'the silver bullet' and that the end goal cannot be to get everyone into an electric car. His insight into how electric cars are making consumers more conscious of the source of their energy is worth noting. Speaking on infrastructure, we talk about the different challenges cities will face when accommodating sustainable mobility solutions. Not to mention the changes in ageing regulation that we need to overcome. Further the conversation on infrastructure, Ben shares his opinion on car sharing vs car ownership & how the popularity of the model is a good indication of where the future of individual mobility is headed.

Finally, we touch on the next decade of mobility, Expo 2020, and Ben's predictions. As we move into a 'new era' of mobility, Ben feels the way in which the car will interact with the world around it will fundamentally change; and that we may very well be at the end of a chapter in the story of mobility.

To find out more about the upcoming Middle East EVRT and Smarter Mobility World this March in Dubai, visit https://generationehq.com

For more episodes on the Autofocus Podcast visit amenaauto.org/autofocus

In this episode of the Autofocus Podcast, we are with Dr. Hamid Haqparwar who is the Managing Director of BMW Group, Middle East.

Dr Hamid's colourful career is a true testament to his 'blue-blood' claim. Having started as an intern, in Germany, at BMW Headquarters, Dr. Hamid spent a year with BMW, pre-graduation, before taking on his first role as a Market Development Manager in 2006. In 2008 Dr. Hamid spent just under 4 years in the Middle East, in Sales, as the Area Manager and the Head of Product Management in the region. His career continued to lead him around the globe as he became Director Sales and Director Sales Channel Development for BMW India, prior to returning to the region and taking on in his current role as MD.

In this episode, we get straight into Dr. Hamid's sage advice for those who wish to enter and those who are currently in the automotive industry. He shares his formula for sucsess and taking risks for career progression.

We move on to the evolution of BMW; having climbed up the brand's hierarchy for almost over a decade and a half, Dr. Hamid is suitably placed to discuss what the next decade for BMW will look like in comparison. From creating the first full-electric premium car to their adaptive approach to the workforce, he speaks on how the extensive achievements of the brand in the past 10 years are an indication of what BMW has planned next. Later in the episode, we go on to touch on what the future may look like for the dealer/importer network and consumers in the region.

Dr. Hamid goes on to share with us the rigorous process of designing cars that are years ahead of their time; from design to 3D rendering & clay modelling, faced with the challenge of future-proofing designs, he explains the process of designing a BMW that is of the standard consumers have come to expect.

Of course, we speak on autonomous driving as a part of our winder conversation on CASE/ACES. Dr. Hamid shares with us BWM's answer to these 'mega-trends' and how the two dominant mobility trends are being, and have been, addressed. Moving on, we discuss BMW's partnerships with other OEMs. Dr. Hamid explains how BMW's joint R&D with OEMs such as Daimler and JLR are essential in the disruptive & fast-paced world we are currently in.

Finally, Dr. Hamid shares his excitement around the overhaul of the upper-end of BMW's portfolio, his admiration for the tech-savviness of consumers in the region and which car from the line-up he's looking forward to driving next. We end on some closing words of advice from Dr. Hamid for those looking to join brands like BMW.

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In this episode of the Autofocus Podcast, we are with Dr. Saeeda Jaffar who is the Managing Director of Alvarez & Marsal Middle East.

Dr. Jaffar is an expert and leader in organizational transformation, focusing on a wide range of strategic and performance-related issues in automotive, financial services, and beyond. Dr. Jaffar has worked with clients in the Middle East, Europe and the United States.

Dr. Jaffar shares the key considerations for regional automotive companies to ensure sustainable transformation and how the company cultures' amongst dealers must first change to adapt to the shifts happening in the value chain.

We go on to speak on increasing customer value by placing an importance on listening to 'the voice of the customer' and also on how many companies are losing out on key opportunities to do so. We also touch on Dr Jaffar's views on the best way for businesses to respond to the change and disruption in the industry's near future.

Finally, we talk about customer behaviours and how these have been altered by the 'experiential economy' followed by how leading business will be the ones who beat customer expectations.

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In this episode, our Chief Strategist, Cheyenne Kamran, sits down with Monika Mikac, Chief Business Officer at QEV Technologies and former COO of Rimac Automobili.

Monika started her career in automotive at Rimac Automobili, from the founding days in the garage all the way to the launch of the Concept One, the first all-electric hypercar. In 2018 Monika joined QEV Technologies, a company that offers highly specialized engineering services to companies and governments in the area of electrification and electromobility.

In this episode, Monika talks about how her time at Rimac required her to have a multidisciplinary skillset, from accounting to assembling the car just in time for the Frankfurt motorshow. There are a number of lessons from her early days at Rimac – especially how to maintain company culture and the innovative spirit during hyper-growth.

She also shared how QEV Technologies is taking a very innovative approach to supporting the transition to electric mobility by supporting and enabling partners. Che and Monika also discussed the challenges we face as we continue the journey of electrification and the major hurdles that need to be addressed before we see faster adoption.

Her story of the electrification of Philippines' Jeepney is a perfect case study of looking at the economic impact of electrification where incremental improvement in the way of gas powered engines could be detrimental to parts of the economy.

Lastly, Che and Monika touch on the next generations of opportunities and how we can attract the next generation of women into the automotive industry. 

You can find out more about QEV Technologies on their website, and connect with Monika on LinkedIn.

And for more episodes, visit AMENA Autofocus.

In this episode of the Autofocus Podcast, we are with Frank Bernthaler, the CEO of the Emirates Motor Company, Mercedes-Benz authorized distributor in Abu Dhabi since 1962.

In this episode, Frank shares his views on a variety of hot topics: the evolution of the industry, long-term partnerships between automakers, the distribution-retail chain, and the dilemma of changing consumer sensibilities. We deep dive into the radical changes within the automotive industry over the past 30 years from the days of billboard marketing to the current 360 experience that consumers have come to expect. Frank's unique perspective comes from working with Mercedes both on the OEM side and the dealer side. 

We touch on car ownership and how EMC is planning on adapting to the changing attitudes towards ownership. Frank also shared his views on CASE and the premise that connectivity is already here and how autonomous and electric vehicles will have a bumpier road to success than most people think.

On the topic of data and connectivity, we discuss the interesting story of two OEMs who are historically competitors, against all odds, are joining forces. Lastly, Frank addresses the need for companies to change their mindsets. Becoming more open to collaboration to ensure their survival. 

For more episodes visit amenaauto.org/autofocus

In the sixth episode of the Autofocus Podcast, we are joined by Anders Nilsson, Managing Partner of the global law firm Bird & Bird.

Bird & Bird is known for their extensive experience in intellectual property, big data, and the automotive industry. Anders leads the regional office of Bird & Bird providing legal and corporate expertise across industries and value chains, from franchise rights to counterfeit protection to data compliance.

Before moving to the Gulf, Anders was head of Swedish Corporate Group based in Stockholm, which has given him extensive experience of transactions across the Nordic region. Today, Anders advises C-level executives and leaders of family offices and multinational corporations in the MENA region. He has considerable national and international experience from working with public and private M&A and IPOs.

In this episode, we get right into the legal challenges facing the automotive industry in the MENA region, notably, the new competition law and what that means across the value chain. We also discussed legal liabilities faced when there is an accident in an autonomous vehicle and moral decisions that future artificial intelligence may need to make in emergencies.

Shedding light on data collection and drawing similarities to the aviation industry, Anders explained how stakeholders from manufacturers to insurance companies will look to leverage data generated from connected and autonomous vehicles. And more importantly, how this could affect consumer privacy.   Lastly, we talked about gender parity and the role of women in the automotive industry, why this topic is important, and best practices from Bird & Bird which other companies can implement.

In this episode of the Autofocus Podcast, we are with Hussein Dajani, General Manager, Digital Transformation and Customer Experience AMI at Nissan.

Hussein has extensive experience from his time in banking to working with Red Bull to launching Virgin and now at Nissan to become a consumer-centric brand.

Bringing a wealth of experience from his experience in a multitude of industries and we touch on how he brings changes to the customer experience that are helping to shape the future of Nissan.

We talk about how the automotive experience is changing, what organizations must do to adapt. Starting with the right digital and physical infrastructure and mapping and connecting all possible customer journeys, Hussein also shared how Nissan and its dealers have been becoming much more customer-centric over the last few years as part of the Nissan Customer Power 2022 initiative.

We go on to utilising innovation to keep consumer's excited, the new customer expectations and what practices (such as bringing a newly bought car to the customer) are simply unacceptable moving forward if you want to win the hearts, minds, and wallets of customers. We take a look at the competition that start-ups are bringing to the industry and the new purchasing and leasing models that are coming into the market and how Nissan plans on adapting this to their customers in the region.

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In this episode of the Autofocus Podcast, we are with Bruce Robertson, Managing Director for Jaguar Land Rover Middle East and North Africa.

Speaking with over 25 years of experience in the automotive industry, Bruce has been involved in with global sales and operational roles for Jaguar Land Rover in key markets including China, the UK and South Africa. Prior to joining the Jaguar Land Rover MENAP, Bruce was Executive Vice President – Sales & Service Operations for Jaguar Land Rover in China, the largest market for both Jaguar and Land Rover products globally. There he was instrumental in transforming the business and increasing sales five-fold.

In this episode, we cover JLR's new vision from sustainability to ACES. Bruce speaks on how the Middle East is mature and immature in different contexts and JLR's product innovation driving 46% year on year for Jaguar and 13% for Landrover year on year.

Looking at the industry, Bruce gives insight into China having changed the radically and fail mindset, Tesla's market disruption driving the motor industry out of its comfort zone and the positive outcomes that follow and Bruce's thoughts on how heritage builds 'fantastic brands'.

(He may have revealed a detail or two about the legendary LandRover Defender and when it will be available.)