Mahindra’s Movers & Shakers

Mahindra South Africa (MSA) proudly announces the appointment of three key executives to its leadership team.

The new executives join MSA as it readies itself for a new era of growth, driven by its refreshed portfolio of SUVs and Bakkies and its renewed focus on customer value linked to the Mahindra brand’s commercial objectives.

The three executives, all industry veterans, are:

Head of Sales: Fanie Smuts

Fanie is an automotive veteran with experience in virtually every aspect of the automotive value chain, including marketing, sales and aftersales. He has served in various positions in these divisions at leading vehicle manufacturers, where he gained a deep understanding of every aspect of the automotive value chain. He will bring this experience to bear in his role at Mahindra South Africa.

Head of Strategic Marketing: Nomonde Kweyi

Nomonde joins Mahindra South Africa after a long and fruitful career in the transport and logistics industry, where she served in a leadership role for marketing and communication for the Southern African region. Her experience includes local and international positions in several sectors, including telecommunications and professional services, and management roles in marketing and communications agencies. She is an alumna of the Gordon Institute of Business Sciences, the University of Cape Town and the Vega School of Branding.

Head of Human Resources: Welisha Govender

Welisha is qualified in industrial psychology and has fulfilled a leadership role in human resources, people and organisational development and transformation in various retail and telecommunications sectors. This has led to her appointment in a leadership role at Mahindra South Africa.

All three executives serve on the Mahindra South Africa Executive Committee, where they will join other executives to oversee and guide the group’s transition from a mid-range vehicle retailer to one of South Africa’s most prominent, recognised and considered vehicle brands.

“The appointment of Fanie, Nomonde and Welisha is the next step in our long-term growth plan that has seen Mahindra outpace the sales performance of the South African industry in the last five years,” says Rajesh Gupta, CEO of Mahindra South Africa.

“We are transforming our operation to nurture our vision of making South Africa our second home outside India and a powerhouse in the local automotive industry. In doing this, we have the full support of our global parent company.”

Mahindra South Africa has been recognised twice as the fastest growing vehicle brand in the last few years. On a global scale, the South African operations have been awarded both for their sales performance and their strategic importance as Mahindra’s home outside India.

The new leaders bring a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the South African market and consumers, which will be instrumental in expanding MSA’s footprint and optimising its operations.

By assembling this formidable leadership team, Mahindra South Africa is primed to deliver a compelling and commercially relevant product portfolio of Authentic SUVs and Authentic Bakkies that exceeds the expectations of our valued customers, while driving growth and success in the automotive sector.