Billy Tom elected president of new Naamsa board

South African motor umbrella body Naamsa has named Billy Tom, CEO of Isuzu Motors SA, as its new president.

The organisation, which looks after the interests of the South African automotive industry, has elected three other new members to the board.

Tom takes over from Ford SA MD Neale Hill after the latter’s term of office expired. He hails from the small farming town of Alexandria in the Eastern Cape and has been at the helm of the Gqeberha-based bakkie and truck manufacturer since 2020. He becomes Naamsa’s first black president.

BMW Group SA CEO Peter van Binsbergen has been elected vice-president: manufacturing OEMs. Van Binsbergen assumed the role of CEO at BMW SA on January 1 2023, the first South African to run the local company.

Mitsubishi SA MD Thato Magasa was elected vice-president: retailing OEMs. Magasa has been leading the Japanese brand since 2021. 

Jan Aichinger , MD: MAN Automotive becomes vice-president: medium and heavy commercial OEMs.

Mikel Mabasa remains in his role as executive director and CEO of Naamsa.

“All the newly elected leaders without exception bring a considerable wealth of expertise and experience. They will undoubtedly drive the industry’s continued growth and success, particularly at this time when the industry is undergoing unprecedented levels of technological transformation and innovative adaptation backed by new energy vehicles and cleaner and safer vehicle technologies and fuels”, said Mabasa.

“The automotive industry has faced severe challenges over the years, including supply chain challenges, coronavirus-fuelled disruptions, semiconductor shortages, domestic climate change, floods, rocketing inflation affecting the cost of production and consumers’ buying power.” 

“Our newly elected Naamsa board of directors have a mammoth task of leading the broader automotive industry in dealing with many of the economic shocks confronting our domestic economic life, whose effects continue to be felt with time lags.”

The South African automobile industry contributes 4.9%, or R227.3bn, to the country’s GDP through manufacturing, retail and the export of vehicles and automotive components to 152 international markets. The industry is responsible for about 457,000 jobs across the South African economy’s formal sector.