Industry movers

TONY JOHNSTON has been promoted to chief operating officer of Mitsubishi Motors New Zealand (MMNZ).

Johnston, who takes up his new role on April 17, started his career at a marketing and consultancy firm in the UK before becoming MMNZ’s corporate sales manager in 1999 for one-and-a-half years. He was then an account manager with Esanda FleetPartners for seven years before becoming fleet partnership manager at FleetPartners NZ in 2007.

Johnston returned to MMNZ in 2013 as manager of national fleet sales before becoming head of sales in May 2018.

TOM RUDDENKLAU has become chief executive officer of Power Farming NZ. The company, which is based in Morrinsville and owned by the Maber family, is an agricultural distributor in New Zealand, Australia and the US.

Ruddenklau, who is a director of the Motor Trade Association, began his automotive career in leasing in 1996. He was previously sales and marketing manager for Volkswagen Financial Services, chief operating officer for Hyundai NZ, general manager for Volkswagen NZ and, most recently, COO of Armstrong’s Motor Group.

CHRIS BLAIR has joined Winger Motors as group general manager after almost a decade working for distributors.

He was promoted into the position of general manager at Hyundai NZ about six years after joining the company in mid-2015.

Blair was previously general manager of Renault NZ, a role he took on in mid-2013. Before that, he spent two years with John Andrew Ford & Mazda in Auckland.

He began his career at Ed Voyles Automotive Group in Georgia, US, in 2002 as a sales consultant before becoming its general manager of sales in August 2007.

ANDREW CASELEY is stepping down as chief executive of the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority after more than six years.

He has overseen various projects, such as the rollout of the public-charging network for electric cars.

Caseley is remaining in the role until at least late June “to ensure a seamless transition”. Previously, he was CEO of Hawke’s Bay Regional Council for 13 years.

ANDY COX has been promoted to general manager of Manheim NZ. He joined the company in August 2017 and spent more than five years as New Zealand sales manager for its salvage division.

Before that, Cox held sales positions at various companies including Malcove, Toll Customised Solutions, Orcon and Telecom NZ.

TOSHIO KUWAHARA has become president and CEO of Asian Honda Motor Company, and head of the regional unit for Asia and Oceania.

These positions now come under regional operations, which combine Japan with Asia and Oceania, South America, Europe, Africa and the Middle East.

Kuwahara remains as operating executive of Honda Motor Co.