PRETORIA, July 11, 2007 – Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa announced the appointment of Jacques Brent as vice president of Marketing and Sales for Ford, effective
1 August 2007. Brent also becomes a Director of Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa. He will replace Gabriel Lopez, who has been appointed president, Ford Andina and will be relocating to Venezuela.
In his current role as General Manager of Mazda, Brent has been responsible for elevating the Mazda brand in Southern Africa through an aggressive product and dealer expansion strategy. He will continue to oversee the Mazda business until a replacement is appointed.
“Jacques has made significant contributions to our business in a number of senior management positions. His comprehensive knowledge and experience will be fundamental in helping drive the continued success of the Ford brand,” said Hal Feder, president, Ford of Southern Africa. “Being South African, he’ll also be able to apply a true local knowledge and understanding to our overall product strategy.”
Brent joined Ford of Southern Africa in 1995, and has held a number of senior management roles across the company, including Managing Director of Volvo, National Sales Manager for Ford and Mazda, and Finance Director of Premier Automotive Group.
During his tenure at Volvo, Brent oversaw the successful launch of a number of new products, including the S40, which was named ‘2004 Car of the Year, and increased overall sales by more than 33 percent.
