BMW Group South Africa hosted its coveted 2024 Retailer of the Year Awards at the Houghton Hotel in Johannesburg, recognising the exceptional achievements of its retail network across the BMW, MINI, and BMW Motorrad brands.
The elegant evening, led by the dynamic duo of Shashi Naidoo and Nico Panagio, celebrated the dedication and hard work of its 46-strong retailer network who consistently strive for excellence in all aspects of their businesses. The awards ceremony honoured the contributions of retailers in nine key categories, showcasing the strength and depth of the BMW Group South Africa network.
In a testament to its commitment to social responsibility, SMG was awarded the Social Responsibility Award. SMG has consistently demonstrated an inspiring dedication to its communities, providing crucial relief and hope. The company fosters a culture of growth and development, offering its employees equal opportunities to expand their knowledge and skills. SMG also maintains a long-term vision for environmental sustainability, aligning with the BMW Group’s global sustainability goals.
“Our retailers are the lifeblood of our brand as they deliver the customer experience at the retail touchpoint, their persistent commitment to excellence is truly inspiring”, said Peter van Binsbergen, CEO of BMW Group South Africa. “We are immensely proud of their passion and team spirit that exemplify the core values of our brand. Congratulations to all the category winners and thank you to the entire retail network for their tireless efforts and unwavering support throughout 2024.”
The winners of the 2024 Retailer of the Year Awards are as follows:
- Retailer of the Year: BMW Midrand (large), BMW Nelson Mandela Bay (small-medium), MINI Midrand, BMW Motorrad Stellenbosch
- Best Retailer in Sales: BMW Midrand (large), BMW Ballito (small-medium), MINI Cape Town City (large), MINI Nelson Mandela (small-medium), BMW Motorrad Montana
- Best M-Sales Retailer: BMW Durban South
- Best Retailer in Financial Services: BMW East Rand (large), BMW Pinetown (small-medium), MINI Midrand, BMW Motorrad Sandton
- Best Retailer in Customer Support: BMW Midrand (large), BMW Cape Town City (small-medium), MINI Tygervalley, BMW Motorrad East Rand
“Customer satisfaction is our top priority. This award is a powerful validation of our team’s dedication to providing exceptional customer service. We are committed to going above and beyond to ensure that every interaction with our dealership is a positive and memorable one,” said Luke Dreyer, Dealer Principal at BMW Midrand and MINI Midrand following multiple wins at this year’s awards ceremony.
Trevor Villet, Dealer Principal from BMW Nelson Mandela Bay commented “It is an honour to lead this remarkable team, whose unwavering passion and steadfast dedication make my role deeply gratifying. Having been awarded the prestigious Retailer of the Year accolade (small-medium) second time in a row, I would like to extend my heartfelt congratulations to the team for their exceptional representation of our products and services.”
In response to winning the top title “Retailer of The Year” for BMW Motorrad, Trevor Michael, Dealer Principal at BMW Stellenbosch said, “We are truly honoured to receive this prestigious award, which reflects the unwavering dedication and outstanding teamwork of our entire team. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our valued customers for their trust and support. This recognition reinforces our commitment to exceeding customer expectations and delivering an unparalleled BMW Motorrad ownership experience.”
Darling Peacock
In 2015, Ran Neu-Ner and Gil Oved sold their business, The Creative Counsel for an estimated R1 billion. The Creative Counsel is the largest advertising agency in South Africa employing more than a thousand permanent staff and tens of thousands of temporary staff every year. The Creative Counsel launched an incubator to support transformation within the industry. Start-ups in media, marketing, digital and mobile industries will receive support and mentorship from the agency\’s management team. In 2017, Ran Neu-Ner pledged R50 million to assist young entrepreneurs develop and grow their businesses. Gil Oved went on to become one of the \”dragons\’ on the South African edition of Dragons\’ Den, as well as one of the \”sharks\’ on M-Net\’s Shark Tank. In 2016, Both entrepreneurs won the EY Southern Africa World Entrepreneur Award for 2016 in the Exceptional category.