INTERVIEW
FINDING CONSISTENCY
Lee Rabjohn, fleet manager, Audi Middle East, talks to T&FME about the importance of the fleet market in the region
E
ven for a man who once rode a 1,000-mile bike ride, Lee Rabjohn, the man who oversees Audi Middle East’s fleet operation, has racked up some impressive mileage on both sides of the dealer channel. The VW Group veteran once swapped a leading role at Audi UK to join one of the country’s largest dealer groups Marshall Motor Group (MMG) as the head of its Group Fleet Division. Passing over two decades of service in the automotive industry, he re-joined Audi last year to manage and develop its fleet sales across the 11 countries, 12 importers and 24 dealer facilities it has 16
JULY-AUGUST 2020
developed in the GCC and Levant region. He tells T&FME that the market in the Middle East presents an exciting opportunity for Audi, a brand that enjoys an elite position, alongside Mercedes and BMW, inside a triumvirate of famous premium marques from Germany. “I am genuinely looking forward to being part of this journey. We have already delivered growth in 2019 and with the exception of the current COVID-19 crisis, will be endeavouring to maintain the momentum and improve the market offer,” he says, adding that Audi is pivoting as the fleet market evolves in his new homebase . “Besides the conventional RAC (Rent-a-Car) and Corporate businesses
We have significantly expanded and rejuvenated our portfolio”
that operate here, there are opportunities for the introduction of new routes to market, the development of funding methods for fleets and also the genuine interest and want to explore and adopt new technologies such as electric and alternative fuelled vehicle and concepts such as Maas (Mobility-as-a-Service).” Like its peers, Audi has endured a turbulent period since the global economy took a hit over a decade ago. However, 2019 showed there are signs of promise with Audi enjoying global growth in deliveries of 1.8%. The fleet side looks even brighter, with Audi fleet and corporate sales outperforming the market in 2019 with a 17% meconstructionnews.com
