Mercedes-Benz Canada Fills Two Key Executive Management Roles from Within Organization

TORONTO, Oct. 4, 2016 /CNW/ - Mercedes-Benz Canada proudly announced today that the recently vacated role of Vice-President, Sales will be filled by Gavin Allen, Vice-President, Marketing responsible for Marketing Communications and Product Management. Virginie Aubert, who is currently National Marketing Manager, will be promoted to succeed Gavin Allen as Vice-President, Marketing. Both will take on their respective new assignments effective immediately.

Gavin Allen's strengths come from a sharp understanding of global marketing and product strategies, coupled with an incredibly discerning ability to adapt them into locally coherent and relevant packages for the Canadian market. He came to Canada from Mercedes-Benz Australia/Pacific in February 2013. During his tenure, he has worked hand-in-hand with the national sales team, as well as with the entire dealer body, to ensure that Mercedes-Benz Canada was well equipped with the right product at the right time and with the programs and marketing campaigns that distinguish us within a highly cluttered and competitive environment. He has also led various initiatives for Mercedes-Benz Canada's connected car strategy and has championed several Best Customer Experience (BCE) initiatives. His extensive experience with the dealer network certainly makes him the right candidate to help us navigate the new car and pre-owned sales, corporate sales and remarketing waters ahead.

Virginie Aubert has held numerous marketing-related roles at Mercedes-Benz Canada since she joined the organization in May 2006 as Marketing Communications Supervisor. For a period of two years, she also worked with the Toronto Retail Group overseeing their marketing operations as well as the Sales Business Development team. She was promoted to her current role of National Manager, Marketing Communications in August 2014. She has always had a strong ability to formulate and implement strategies with compelling executions. In the last few years, she and her team have created and produced a plethora of highly successful brand campaigns and marketing initiatives for smart, Mercedes-Benz products, Dream Cars and AMG models. During that time, she has also worked very closely with the product management team, which has prepared her well to take on this additional responsibility for this extremely important part of the business.

"As I have said repeatedly since I first joined the company earlier this year, we have a tremendously talented pool of employees and I am in a very fortunate situation to be able to quickly and aptly fill two critical jobs with two very accomplished, highly dedicated and well-proven individuals who happen to currently work mere metres from my office," said Brian D. Fulton, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Canada. "I congratulate both Gavin and Virginie and wish them all the best in their new endeavours. They are both very adaptable and highly dependable and I know that their current solid working relationship will continue to yield strong results in both their new areas of responsibility."

About Mercedes-Benz Canada
Mercedes-Benz Canada is responsible for the sales, marketing and service of the Mercedes-Benz and AMG passenger vehicles, Mercedes-Benz Vans and smart. Headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc. employs approximately 1,500 people in 21 locations across Canada. Through a nationwide network of 11 Mercedes-Benz owned retail operations and 46 authorized dealerships, Mercedes-Benz Canada sold 44,526 vehicles in 2015. This represents the best year ever for the company and has positioned Mercedes-Benz as the top luxury manufacturer in Canada for the second consecutive year.

SOURCE Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc.

Image with caption: "Virginie Aubert, who is currently National Marketing Manager, will be promoted to succeed Gavin Allen as Vice-President, Marketing. (CNW Group/Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20161004_C4326_PHOTO_EN_788355.jpg

Image with caption: "The recently vacated role of Vice-President, Sales will be filled by Gavin Allen. (CNW Group/Mercedes-Benz Canada Inc.)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20161004_C4326_PHOTO_EN_788359.jpg

For further information: JoAnne Caza, 416-847-7550, [e-mail]; Nathalie Gravel, 416-847-7509, [e-mail]. Further information from Mercedes-Benz is available on the internet at: www.media.mercedes-benz.ca