RIYADH: Nissan has announced that Simon Frith has been appointed to be the new Managing Director of Nissan Saudi Arabia Co., Ltd., effective June 1. Frith’s appointment will accelerate strategic decision making to further develop Nissan’s business operations in the Kingdom. He will be based in Jeddah and report to Samir Cherfan, the Managing Director of Nissan Middle East.
The appointment follows Nissan’s establishment of a direct presence in Saudi Arabia in 2013 in the form of Nissan Saudi Arabia. Nissan pledged to build on the foundation of its 60-year heritage in the Kingdom by renewing the bond with its people. Nissan is committed to delivering a strong customer-focused dealer network across the Kingdom, its full range of innovative and exciting cars, and the full promise of the Nissan brand experience. In March 2016 Nissan announced that an additional business partner, Petromin Corporation, would join valued dealer partner Alissa Auto as its second strategic partner in Saudi Arabia to help further Nissan’s growth and dealer expansion.
With Alissa Auto and Petromin as two robust partners Nissan Saudi Arabia will ramp-up the number of outlets in its dealer network in order to offer the best service to customers. Nissan Saudi Arabia currently has approximately 50 employees dedicated to this work. Prospects for growth may see staffing rise to as many as 80 employees in the future, making a full-time Managing Director to lead management of the business an organizational priority.
“Saudi Arabia is a key market for Nissan. Simon has already demonstrated his auto industry prowess in senior operational roles, and his business acumen and deep regional experience will help us boost our expansion and fuel Nissan’s future success in the Kingdom,” said Cherfan. Frith will report to Cherfan, who until now has been running Nissan’s operations in Saudi Arabia directly. The new appointment will bring a greater focus on the important KSA market, and enable Cherfan to focus on overall regional management of Nissan’s business in the Middle East.
Frith joins Nissan from his most recent position as business director, Lexus Division, Al Sayer Group, which he held since 2015. Prior to that, as Managing Director, marketing services, for Abdul Latif Jameel from 2013, he developed customer strategies for Toyota and Lexus. Previously, he was Managing Director of Al-Futtaim Motors in Dubai from 2007 through 2013, where he held leadership roles in strategy development, operational performance, and sales and marketing for both mainstream and premium brands. Frith holds a BSc in Business Finance & Economics from the University of East Anglia in the UK. He is also a CIMA Qualified Accountant.
