The second episode of the Autofocus Podcast gets right into it with Dr Petar Stojanov,&nbsp;a Quantum Physicist turned Disruptive Innovation Expert, Futurist In Residence at Hyperloop Transportation Technologies and Managing Partner of Ebtikaar - an Innovation and Future Strategy Advisory. Dr. Petar and his team have advised governments and leading organizations on future shaping, building innovation portfolios, and exploring the new meaning of mobility. In this episode we discuss the impact of the adaptation of connected and autonomous vehicles and what it could mean for modern cities right the way down to the socio-economic impacts of the technology. We go on to look at the science of innovation in the context of mobility: How is the value chain evolving? What do players in the automotive industry need to work on? How does one go about building a culture and mindset of innovation? Connect with Dr. Petar on LinkedIn and Instagram.

The Future of Mobility Is Closer Than You Think - Dr Petar Stojanov, Managing Partner of Ebtikaar

In the third episode of the Autofocus Podcast we have the opportunity to sit down with Shehab Gargash, CEO of the Gargash Group and Chairman of Daman Investments. The Gargash Group sits at the forefront of the transformation of the automotive industry, with Gargash Enterprises, official distributor of leading luxury brand Mercedes-Benz, as well as&nbsp;Gargash Motors, official distributor of Alfa Romeo and GAC Motor. In this episode, Shehab gives us a clear picture of the very real challenges facing the regional automotive industry and insight into what we need to do to adapt. People are moving on from owning a car to accessing it as and when they need it. And they are accessing and interacting with automotive brands differently. What has worked before will not work anymore. This means a fundamental rethink of strategy, communication, and even mindsets and skillsets for the future of the industry. On a lighter note, we speak on his participation in the Gumball 3000 Rally, his Instagram adventures, advice for the next generation of leaders and the story behind his personal collection of boarding passes. Connect with&nbsp;Shehab Gargash on Instagram

Business As Usual Is Over - Shehab Gargash, CEO of Gargash Group

In this episode of the Autofocus Podcast, we are with Bruce Robertson, Managing Director for Jaguar Land Rover Middle East and North Africa. Speaking with over 25 years of experience in the automotive industry, Bruce has been involved in with global sales and operational roles for Jaguar Land Rover in key markets including China, the UK and South Africa. Prior to joining the Jaguar Land Rover MENAP, Bruce was Executive Vice President – Sales &amp; Service Operations for Jaguar Land Rover in China, the largest market for both Jaguar and Land Rover products globally. There he was instrumental in transforming the business and increasing sales five-fold. In this episode, we cover JLR's new vision from sustainability to ACES. Bruce speaks on how the Middle East is mature and immature in different contexts and JLR's product innovation driving 46% year on year for Jaguar and 13% for Landrover year on year. Looking at the industry, Bruce gives insight into China having changed the radically and fail mindset, Tesla's market disruption driving the motor industry out of its comfort zone and the positive outcomes that follow and Bruce's thoughts on how heritage builds 'fantastic brands'. (He may have revealed a detail or two about the legendary LandRover Defender and when it will be available.)

New Dynamics of The Automotive Industry - Bruce Robertson, MD of Jaguar Land Rover MENAP

In this episode of the Autofocus Podcast, we are with Hussein Dajani, General Manager, Digital Transformation and Customer Experience AMI at Nissan. Hussein has extensive experience from his time in banking to working with Red Bull to launching Virgin and now at Nissan to become a consumer-centric brand. Bringing a wealth of experience from his experience in a multitude of industries and we touch on how he brings changes to the customer experience that are helping to shape the future of Nissan. We talk about how the automotive experience is changing, what organizations must do to adapt. Starting with the right digital and physical infrastructure and mapping and connecting all possible customer journeys, Hussein also shared how Nissan and its dealers have been becoming much more customer-centric over the last few years as part of the Nissan Customer Power 2022 initiative. We go on to utilising innovation to keep consumer's excited, the new customer expectations and what practices (such as bringing a newly bought car to the customer) are simply unacceptable moving forward if you want to win the hearts, minds, and wallets of customers. We take a look at the competition that start-ups are bringing to the industry and the new purchasing and leasing models that are coming into the market and how Nissan plans on adapting this to their customers in the region. - More Episodes amenaauto.org/autofocus

The Road To Incredible Customer Experience - Hussein Dajani, General Manager, Digital Transformation and Customer Experience AMI, Nissan

In the sixth episode of the Autofocus Podcast, we are joined by Anders Nilsson, Managing Partner of the global law firm Bird &amp; Bird. Bird &amp; Bird is known for their extensive experience in intellectual property, big data, and the automotive industry. Anders leads the regional office of Bird &amp; Bird providing legal and corporate expertise across industries and value chains, from franchise rights to counterfeit protection to data compliance. Before moving to the Gulf, Anders was head of Swedish Corporate Group based in Stockholm, which has given him extensive experience of transactions across the Nordic region. Today, Anders advises C-level executives and leaders of&nbsp;family offices and multinational corporations in the MENA region.&nbsp;He has considerable national and international experience from working with public and private M&amp;A and IPOs. In this episode, we get right into the legal challenges facing the automotive industry in the MENA region, notably, the new competition law and what that means across the value chain. We also discussed legal liabilities faced when there is an accident in an autonomous vehicle and moral decisions that future artificial intelligence may need to make in emergencies. Shedding light on data collection and drawing similarities to the aviation industry, Anders explained how stakeholders from manufacturers to insurance companies will look to leverage data generated from connected and autonomous vehicles. And more importantly, how this could affect consumer privacy. &nbsp; Lastly, we talked about gender parity and the role of women in the automotive industry, why this topic is important, and best practices from Bird &amp; Bird which other companies can implement.

Data, Competition, and Ethics in the Age of Connectivity - Anders Nilsson, Managing Partner UAE, Bird & Bird

In this episode of the Autofocus Podcast, we are with Frank Bernthaler, the CEO of the Emirates Motor Company; a Mercedes-Benz General Authorized Distributor in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi which for five consecutive years was recognised as the #1 market in CSI for Mercedes-Benz Cars in the GCC from 2013-2017. &nbsp; Prior to this he has been responsible for re-designing the margin model for the Austrian dealer network for Mercedes-Benz and produced record sales for the brand in the Middle East between 2008 and 2013. In this episode, we deep dive into the changes within the automotive industry over the past 30 years from the days of billboard marketing to the current 360 experience that consumers have come to expect. Frank's unique perspective comes from working with Mercedes both on the OEM side and the dealer/importer. We touch on car ownership and how GMC is planning on adapting to the changing attitudes towards ownership. We go on to speak on CASE and the premise that connectivity is already here. Touching on autonomous and electric vehicles, Frank shares some truths indicating that the road to success is bumpier than people think. On the topic of data and connectivity, we discuss the interesting story of two OEMs who are historically competitors, against all odds, are joining forces. &nbsp; Lastly, Frank addresses the need for companies to change their mindsets. Becoming more open to collaboration to ensure their survival.&nbsp; &nbsp; - More Episodes amenaauto.org/autofocus

Connectivity Is Already Here - Frank Bernthaler; CEO, Emirates Motor Company

In this episode, our Chief Strategist, Cheyenne Kamran, sits down with Monika Mikac, Chief Business Officer at QEV Technologies and former COO of Rimac Automobili. Monika started her career in automotive at Rimac Automobili, from the founding days in the garage all the way to the launch of the Concept One, the first all-electric hypercar. In 2018 Monika joined QEV Technologies, a company that offers highly specialized engineering services to companies and governments in the area of electrification and electromobility. In this episode, Monika talks about how her time at Rimac required her to have a multidisciplinary skillset, from accounting to assembling the car just in time for the Frankfurt motorshow. There are a number of lessons from her early days at Rimac – especially how to maintain company culture and the innovative spirit during hyper-growth. She also shared how QEV Technologies is taking a very innovative approach to supporting the transition to electric mobility by supporting and enabling partners. Che and Monika also discussed the challenges we face as we continue the journey of electrification and the major hurdles that need to be addressed before we see faster adoption. Her story of the electrification of Philippines' Jeepney is a perfect case study of looking at the economic impact of electrification where incremental improvement in the way of gas powered engines could be detrimental to parts of the economy. Lastly, Che and Monika touch on the next generations of opportunities and how we can attract the next generation of women into the automotive industry.&nbsp; You can find out more about&nbsp;QEV Technologies&nbsp;on their&nbsp;website, and connect with Monika on LinkedIn. And for more episodes, visit AMENA Autofocus.

Scaling Up Electrification in Automotive and Beyond – Monika Mikac, CBO of QEV Technologies

The first automotive industry podcast in the MENA region featuring high level players from within and outside the  industry.

You can look forward to stunningly practical advice mixed with exponential thinking and best practices from around the world.

Our first three podcasts cover gender diversity, the science of innovation, and the future of mobility.

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