Dealers News South Africa

Sewells announces operational changes, new appointments

Sewells Group South Africa has made an operational change in separating its Training and Development Division into two - Training Delivery and Business Solutions. Sewells is a management training and business management consulting company in the automotive retail sector which provides its services to most motor dealers in Southern Africa.

"It's all about improving our offerings to our growing customer base at the same time as we expand our individual products and services," says Tania Barlow, managing director. She also announced a number of appointments which have been made recently.

Annette Erasmus, newly appointed business solutions manager, has 36 years of experience in both the retail and wholesale motor industry. She was national sales and operations manager for Mercedes-Benz; dealer network manager and relief divisional manager for Mitsubishi Motors; general manager sales and marketing for Debis Fleet Management; during 11 years with MBSA was also in dealer network development and consulting at retail automotive businesses; and as general manager at Citroën South Africa, she developed their business to business division and played a role in the launching of the Citroën range of commercial vehicles. She also has ten years of retail experience in the Williams Hunt group on both passenger cars and commercial vehicles before moving into a management position.

New financial manager

Cindy Martinaglia achieved her B. Comm. degree at the University of Cape Town before obtaining Honours in Financial Accounting through UNISA and then completing her articles at KPMG. She then joined the McDonalds group as an accountant before being appointed in her current position as financial manager at Sewells Group.

Riaan van Wyk, who has been appointed as financial services product consultant, worked in both the banking and insurance sectors and moved into training at the latter where he completed facilitator, assessor and moderator certificates and a national certificate in short term insurance. He is presently completing a national certificate in retail insurance.

Carmien Griessel worked for a number of years for Mercedes-Benz South Africa in both the supply chain and after sales divisions and built a strong relationship with motor dealers as events and marketing co-ordinator in the latter. Griessel now holds the position of training and events co-ordinator at Sewells Group.

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