Mitsubishi Motors Middle East & Africa (MMMEA) warmly welcomed Mr. Takao Kato, President and CEO of Mitsubishi Motors Corporation (MMC), along with a delegation of top executives, to the region for the first time. The four-day unprecedented visit, which took place on November 6-9, highlights the Japanese brand’s genuine commitment to the Middle East and Africa (MEA) and its importance to Mitsubishi’s global growth strategy, ensuring the New Global Strategic Proposition, “Mitsubishi Motors-ness”, is well explained & comprehended in the region, while also celebrating long-standing partnerships with its regional distributors.
The visit began in Saudi Arabia on November 6, where Mr. Kato and top executives celebrated the 50th anniversary of Mitsubishi’s partnership with Alesayi Trading Corporation, the official distributor of MMC in the Kingdom. On November 7, the delegation traveled to the United Arab Emirates to celebrate the 40th anniversary of MMC’s excellent partnership with Al Habtoor Motors, the exclusive distributor of the Japanese brand in the UAE.
Since one of the main purposes of Mr. Kato’s visit to the MEA was to get closer to the regional distributors and gain a better understanding of the unique cultural, environmental, and dynamic factors of the region, the 2023 Regional Distributor Meeting (RDM) was held at the Waldorf Astoria Palm hotel in Dubai on November 8.
The RDM 2023 brought together distributors from two continents to discuss MMC’s new Mitsubishi Motors-ness direction, thereby delivering a more emotional and engaging customer experience throughout the MEA region. Many regional distributors were enthusiastic about attending the RDM to learn more about the new Mitsubishi Motors-ness—a program that is aimed at reviving the brand and helping MMC achieve its growth goals.
Among the regional distributors that attended the RDM were: Azerbaijan’s Diamond Motors LLC, Bahrain ‘s Zayani Motors W.L.L., Egypt’s Diamond Motors Company, Gabon’s CFAO, Georgia’s Caucasus Motors, Ivory coast’s CFAO, Jordan’s Transjordan Trading Co., Kuwait’s Meseelah Trading Company S.P.C, Lebanon’s Nippon Motors Corporation SAL, Libya’s Middle East Group FZE, Nigeria’s CFAO, Oman’s General Automotive Company, Qatar’s Qatar Automobiles Co., Saudi Arabia’s Alesayi Trading Corporation, Senegal’s La Senegalaise de l'Automobile, and UAE’s Al Habtoor Motors.
The four-day visit was concluded on November 9 with a visit to MMMEA Regional Office in Dubai Jebel Ali Freezone. Mr. Kato, along with top executives, took the great opportunity to gain firsthand insight into the operations of the regional office and the role that it plays in overseeing MMC’s growth and expansion across the Middle East and Africa.
Commenting on the historic visit, Mr. Yano Yutaka, President at Mitsubishi Motors MEA, said: “We are thrilled to welcome Mr. Kato and the other top executives to the Middle East and Africa region for the first time. This visit reflects that MMC’s commitment to the region has never been stronger than it is today. Through the Mitsubishi Motors-ness program, we aim to revive our brand, while forging stronger connections with our valued distributors in the region. This direction will not only put us back on the map but also solidify our presence in the hearts of our loyal customers.”
The “Mitsubishi Motors-ness” concept represents MMC’s commitment to redefining the driving experience, focusing on innovation, quality, sustainability, and customer-centric values. It aims to breathe new life into the Japanese brand by embracing Mitsubishi’s heritage while steering it toward an environmentally conscious and cutting-edge future.