Car manufacturing giant Nissan is looking to increase its sales in the Middle East region by 35 percent by 2023.
And Guillaume Cartier, chairperson, Nissan AMIEO region, told Arabian Business the company’s roadmap for growth would use the success of markets in the UAE as the blueprint.
He said: “What is good is, we believe the GCC market will increase versus today, potentially 20 percent. The idea is to make sure that our market share will reach 15 percent above that.
“The growth that we are aiming is value. So we are not looking for volume for vanity, and that’s global, but I apply that principle here. And it’s really to make sure that we have the right car and potentially a mix which is higher than only pushing the metal.”
Cartier said the UAE was a place which was “very close” to his heart and close to the heart of the Nissan company. And he admitted he is looking to replicate the success in the UAE across other markets.
“If you look at the situation in Dubai and Abu Dhabi and the Emirates, it’s exceptional. That’s the kind of benchmark that I’m using for other countries. And after that you have some iconic cars, like the Patrol, that do well; and when you see the attachment from the local people for the brand, this is very great,” he said.
“That’s what we have here and it’s to use it to showcase to the others, that it’s something we can replicate elsewhere,” he added.
Nissan is the official automotive partner and a premier partner of Expo 2020 Dubai, where they are showcasing the future of mobility with next generation cars and advanced technologies, all powered by Nissan Intelligent Mobility. The company has also provided a fleet of vehicles to the expo.
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Guillaume Cartier, chairperson for Nissan Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania (AMIEO).
“Expo is an international demonstration. The way we look at it is, yes it’s happening in Dubai, but it has a dimension which is much more than Dubai only. It’s how we can showcase Nissan in Dubai, in the Middle East and worldwide,” said Cartier.
Sustainability is a key theme of Expo 2020 Dubai and it’s also one that resonates with Nissan, with goals to move to zero emissions as well as electrifying all its vehicles, although Cartier stressed this would very much depend on demand and infrastructure.
He said: “You have areas of the globe that are more-or-less ready or where the intent has been clearly established more than elsewhere. If you take Europe, it’s maybe the most advanced, the US is bubbling, China is in, and here you can see that people are starting to really actively speak about it.
“If you’re asking me when, I don’t know exactly when; but if you’re asking me if, I would say definitely yes.”
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