Only two years after being appointed CEO of Dacia, Denis Le Vot has been recognised for his forward-thinking approach by being presented with the Sturmey Award at the 2023 Autocar Awards.
One of Autocar’s biggest and most prestigious awards, the accolade acknowledges innovation and achievement in the global automotive industry and is named after the renowned title’s founding editor and automotive pioneer, Henry Sturmey. It is one of a hat trick of honours for the brand at this year’s Autocar Awards, with the seven-seat Dacia Jogger winning ‘Best Family Car’ and the Dacia Sandero taking home the ‘Best Budget Car’ title.
The judges praised Le Vot’s fresh approach to questioning industry norms and bucking the trends. Examples include going against the grain of heavy, expensive technology being added to cars at a time when attempts are being made to decarbonise transport, as well as his drive to constantly challenge convention to deliver exceptional value for Dacia’s customers.
Also acknowledged was how Le Vot has steered Dacia to bigger and better things in the short space of time since the brand became a fully-fledged, empowered, business unit as part of the Renaulution Strategic Plan. The brand had no dedicated CEO before his appointment in 2021, and his vision and experience – having held senior roles in the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance for nearly 20 years – have helped make Dacia the third best-selling brand for retail sales in Europe.
On Le Vot being recognised as a true innovator, Mark Tisshaw, Editor of Autocar, said: “He is almost an anti-establishment figure, speaking with clarity and common sense rather than blindly following perceived trends and conventions. But the cars Le Vot sells are good – really good, actually – and in his two years in charge at Dacia he has overseen a successful refresh of design and rebranded the company at the same time.”
Tisshaw continued: “Le Vot speaks with a passion and enthusiasm that shows he not only loves his job but also the company for which he works. Dacia pitches itself as the best value-for-money brand that constantly redefines the essentials, and it’s this recent key tweak to the brand’s positioning and messaging under Le Vot that is perhaps driving the success of broadening Dacia’s appeal to a wider customer base. We’re excited for how he will continue to develop the brand.”
Born a working-class carpenter’s son in Brittany, Le Vot’s enthusiasm for Dacia stems from his real-world outlook on the automotive industry. On accepting the Sturmey Award, he said: “I am honoured to receive such a prestigious award on behalf of the brand and all our teams across the world. I am proud, especially as it recognises how Dacia has successfully evolved to stay relevant to our time and meet the requirements of an ever-broadening spectrum of car buyers.”