Tunca Rodoplu on Canon South Africa’s growth and sustainability vision

Rodoplu brings extensive regional and commercial experience, having held senior roles across Canon EMEA. Most recently, he served as Canon South Africa’s sales and marketing director for B2B, where he led commercial strategy and built customer and partner relationships across sub-Saharan Africa for integrated printing solutions. In his role, he also champions Canon’s Kyosei philosophy, “living and working together for the common good”, with a focus on helping customers improve efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and adopt circular economy practices.

In conversation with Tunca Rodoplu, country director of Canon South Africa.

Congratulations on your appointment as country director. What are your immediate priorities?

Tunca Rodoplu: Thank you. My immediate focus is on strengthening our partner network and sales channels across Southern Africa, expanding our digital production printing and imaging solutions, and growing Canon’s share in the office printing market in South Africa.

You’ve held senior roles across Canon EMEA and were recently sales and marketing director for B2B in South Africa. How will that experience shape your approach?

Tunca Rodoplu: My regional and commercial experience has given me a clear understanding of customer needs and partner dynamics across diverse markets. We are focused on delivering integrated solutions that create measurable business value, and that experience will help us localise our approach while maintaining global alignment.

How do you plan to work with partners and customers to achieve growth?

Tunca Rodoplu: We will work closely with our partners to deliver tailored, integrated solutions, while continuing to invest in training, enablement, and the best local talent. This ensures we provide high-quality support and consultancy to both our partners and customers. By aligning our offerings more closely with local market needs, we empower our partners to grow their businesses while enabling customers to achieve stronger, more sustainable outcomes.

Sustainability and Canon’s Kyosei philosophy are central to your mandate. What does that mean in practice for Southern Africa?

Tunca Rodoplu: Kyosei means living and working together for the common good. In practice, we will help organisations improve efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and adopt more circular economy practices. This includes promoting energy-efficient devices, expanding recycling and remanufacturing options, and supporting customers in reducing waste across their print environments.

Which product areas will you focus on to drive growth?

Tunca Rodoplu: We will prioritise digital production printing and imaging solutions while continuing to strengthen our position in the office printing market. These areas are seeing strong demand for more integrated, value-driven solutions and services At the same time, we see significant growth opportunities in packaging and labelling. With new products in the pipeline, we are focused on establishing a strong presence in this segment and expanding our capabilities to meet evolving customer needs

You succeed David Preston, who retires after 38 years with Canon. Any reflections on that transition?

Tunca Rodoplu: David’s leadership strengthened Canon’s market position and helped modernise key areas of the business. I am grateful for his contribution and the strong foundation he leaves behind. We will continue building on that momentum.

What should Canon customers and partners expect in the coming 12 months?

Tunca Rodoplu: They can expect closer commercial engagement, stronger partner support and enablement, best of industry solution rollouts in digital and production printing, and an increased focus on sustainability-led offerings.

How will Canon balance regional strategy with local market needs across Southern Africa?

Tunca Rodoplu: We will leverage regional scale where it adds value, while empowering local teams and partners to adapt solutions to specific market conditions. This balance ensures consistency in strategy but flexibility in execution.

What is your message to Canon’s customers, partners and employees as you take up the role?

Tunca Rodoplu: Our ambition is for Canon to continue leading the industry through cutting-edge technology, financial strength, and a relentless focus on continuous improvement and R&D. We are committed to being a stable, reliable partner for those who entrust their businesses to us. By combining innovation with long-term partnerships, we aim to deliver consistent value and support our customers’ success in a rapidly evolving market.