Volvo Car UK has confirmed a series of senior leadership appointments that underscore both the maturity of its direct-to-consumer transformation and its ambitions for the next phase of growth. Announced on 28 January 2026, the changes to the Executive Management Team bring new financial leadership into the business, strengthen its focus on consumer experience and marketing, and mark the planned departure of a key commercial figure.
At the centre of the announcement is the appointment of Marc Piovesan as Chief Financial Officer. Piovesan will join Volvo Car UK on 23 February 2026, reporting directly to Managing Director Nicole Melillo Shaw and operating from the company’s UK head office in Maidenhead. His remit will be broad and strategic, spanning financial performance, governance and compliance, while ensuring the business remains well positioned to support Volvo’s ongoing transition to electrification and its evolving retail model.
Piovesan brings more than two decades of global financial experience to the role. Most recently at Porsche Cars GB, he has also held senior finance positions across multiple international markets, including Porsche Cars Canada and Korea, Hyundai Canada, and Deloitte & Touche LLP. That combination of premium automotive experience and deep financial expertise is expected to play a key role as Volvo Car UK continues to scale its direct-to-consumer operations while navigating a complex and fast-changing market.
Commenting on his appointment, Piovesan said he was excited to be joining the brand at a pivotal moment. He noted the significant transformation Volvo Car UK has undergone in recent years and described his admiration for the results achieved to date. Looking ahead, he emphasised his enthusiasm for working with the UK team to support the business in reaching “new heights”, signalling a clear alignment with Volvo’s growth ambitions.
Alongside the new CFO appointment, Volvo Car UK has confirmed an expansion of responsibilities for Suzanne Woolley, who becomes Consumer Experience and Operations Director. The newly defined role reflects the increasing importance of delivering a consistent, premium customer journey across every touchpoint, particularly as Volvo deepens its commitment to a direct-to-consumer model. Woolley remains a member of the UK Executive Management Team and continues to report into Nicole Melillo Shaw.
The creation of this role highlights how consumer experience is now viewed not as a supporting function, but as a core operational pillar. With customers engaging directly with the brand rather than through traditional retail structures, aligning operations, service delivery and experience has become central to maintaining trust, loyalty and long-term value.
Marketing leadership within Volvo Car UK is also evolving in line with wider global changes. Following Volvo Cars’ global redesign and the introduction of Cluster organisations across Europe and the APeC region, Louise French will assume a strategic Marketing Director role for the UK and Ireland cluster. Effective from 1 February, French will lead the direct-to-consumer marketing strategy for the market and join the UK Executive Management Team.
French will continue in her current global role as Head of Marketing Europe and APeC, ensuring continuity and supporting the ongoing transition to the new Cluster structure. Her dual responsibilities are intended to strengthen alignment between global brand direction and local market execution, particularly as Volvo expands its electric portfolio and sharpens its positioning in an increasingly competitive UK landscape.
The announcement also confirms the departure of Rob Deane, who has decided to leave his role as Commercial Operations Director to pursue a new opportunity outside of Volvo Car UK. Deane joined the business in March 2024 and has overseen new car sales, aftersales, retail network operations and fleet. During his tenure, he played a significant role in supporting strong growth across these areas during a period of major structural change. He will leave the business in April 2026, with a successor to be announced in due course.
Reflecting on the changes, Managing Director Nicole Melillo Shaw highlighted the strategic importance of the appointments. She described Piovesan’s track record of financial and operational excellence as a valuable addition to the leadership team and reiterated that Volvo Car UK’s transition to a direct-to-consumer model has created substantial opportunity for further growth. She also thanked Deane for his contributions and congratulated both French and Woolley on their new roles.
These leadership changes come against a backdrop of solid commercial performance for Volvo Car UK. In 2025, the brand recorded 68,776 new car registrations, representing a year-on-year increase of 3.57 percent and a market share of 3.4 percent. The Volvo XC40 finished the year as the UK’s seventh best-selling model overall, while the fully electric EX30 ranked as the tenth best-selling battery electric vehicle in the market.
Momentum is expected to continue in 2026, supported by the arrival of two new fully electric models. The Volvo ES90 will enter the UK market as a premium electric sedan combining safety, advanced technology and versatility. With a claimed range of up to 435 miles and one of the lowest carbon footprints of any Volvo to date, the ES90 is positioned as a compelling option for customers seeking both sustainability and refinement.
Also on the horizon is the Volvo EX60, recently revealed in Stockholm. As a fully electric mid-size SUV, the EX60 expands Volvo’s electric line-up into one of the market’s most competitive segments. It offers a range of over 500 miles, rapid charging capability from 10 to 80 percent in just 18 minutes, and built-in AI powered by Google Gemini. The model also debuts advanced safety innovations, including the world-first multi-adaptive safety belt, reinforcing Volvo’s long-standing leadership in vehicle safety.
Taken together, the executive appointments and upcoming product launches paint a picture of a business focused on long-term, sustainable growth. With strengthened financial leadership, an elevated emphasis on consumer experience, and closer alignment between global and local marketing strategies, Volvo Car UK is positioning itself to build on recent successes while navigating the next phase of its electric and direct-to-consumer journey.
