Mike Glendinning MyZA

Join Port Elizabeth and MyPE in congratulating Mover and Shaker, Mike Glendinning from VWSA:

Mike Glendinning, the Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) Sales and Marketing Director has been appointed as Vice President Sales and Marketing at Volkswagen Mexico

Mike Glendinning was born and bred in Port Elizabeth and holds an Honours degree in Marketing from UNISA. He joined Volkswagen South Africa as a Graduate Trainee in 1985 and has had a long and distinguished career within Sales and Marketing, whilst holding many different senior positions, which included influencing and guiding Volkswagen’s benchmark advertising over the years. He headed the Audi Brand from 1999 to 2004, where after he took over the reins of the Volkswagen Brand before joining the Board of VWSA as Sales and Marketing Director in 2006.

During his tenure as Sales and Marketing Director VWSA’s passenger market share increased from 22% to 24.3% in 2013. This was aided by the introduction of the Polo Vivo in which Glendinning played a leading role when the Citi Golf ran out in 2010. He also oversaw the successful introduction of the Amarok onto the South African market allowing VWSA to compete in the one ton light commercial vehicle market for the first time, whilst the Audi brand has become a serious contender in the premium segment of the market.

A massive drive and commitment by Glendinning to become the benchmark in customer service has seen the VWSA brands moving from providing average customer service to becoming the benchmark in the industry as proven by the independent IPSOS research studies.

“Mike has often said that his biggest responsibility would be taking the successful Volkswagen, Audi and Commercial Vehicle brands and passing them on to his successor in better condition than he received them. I can state, without a doubt, that Mike will more than have lived up to this challenge when he passes the Directorship on in October,” said David Powels Managing Director Volkswagen Group South Africa. “His contribution to the sustainable success of the Volkswagen Group in South Africa cannot be underestimated and he leaves behind a legacy that will be an indelible part of our company’s history for the long time,” added Powels.

Glendinning will take up his new post in October and his wife Judy and son Paul will join him in Mexico in the new year.

Glendinning will be succeeded by Petra Hoffmann who currently heads Sales and Marketing for the Group Genuine Parts and Service division based in Kassel, Germany.

Submitted by: Andile Dlamini on behalf of VWSA.