International Awards Granted In Recognition Of Exceptional 2006 Results
Dubai, United Arab Emirates: 17 dealers from nine Middle East countries have won General Motors' prestigious, international Chairman's Challenge Award for 2006, in recognition of their outstanding performance.
Every year, GM dealers from around the Middle East, are challenged to excel at delivering customer satisfaction and surpass their targets in terms of sales volumes of GM's Chevrolet, GMC, Cadillac, HUMMER and Saab brands.
Those dealers who score 100% or more win the Chairman's Challenge Award and are invited to an incentive trip including a gala dinner with GM chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner and other senior company executives to receive their awards.
The winning Middle East dealers are Abdullatif Alissa Automotive Company, Aljomaih Automotive Company, Omar A Balubaid Company and Universal Motor Agencies from Saudi Arabia; Al Yousuf Motors, Bin Hamoodah Automotive Company and Liberty Automobiles from the UAE; Yusuf A Alghanim and Mohammed Saleh & Reza Yousuf Behbehani from Kuwait; Jaidah Motors and Mannai Trading Company from Qatar; Moosa AR Hassan & Company and Oman Trading Establishment from Oman; National Motor Company from Bahrain; The Leading Vehicle Company from Jordan; MAC International from Iraq and Intraco from Syria.
"We have been enjoying record growth for more than three years with total annual sales of 140,509 in 2006. We have introduced a record number of vehicles with great appeal and design & technology innovation," commented Terry Johnsson, Managing Director, General Motors Middle East. "Having an unbeatable range of cars and SUVs is not enough to maintain our success in such a challenging and demanding market. Our dealers have worked tirelessly to produce these outstanding results."
"Delivering an exceptional customer ownership experience is vital and the Chairman's Challenge awards show that our Middle East dealers offer their customers the same standards of after sales service and care as anywhere else in the world," he added. "The awards highlight the combined teamwork, effort, dedication and investment of our dealer partners.
In 2006, all four dealers in Saudi Arabia won the Chairman's Challenge along with three from the UAE and two each from Kuwait, Qatar and Oman and one each from Bahrain, Syria, Iraq and Jordan. Senior management executives from all dealers will attend the presentation ceremony in Venice, Italy in March.
"The Chairman's Challenge winners exceeded their targets and made an invaluable contribution to GM's regional development. Theirs is a tremendous accomplishment and very deserving of the recognition and prestige that goes with it," added Johnsson.
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General Motors has been the global automotive sales leader for 65 years. Founded in 1908, GM today employs about 284,000 people around the world. With global headquarters in Detroit, GM markets its cars and trucks in 33 countries.
In 2006, 9.1 million GM cars and trucks were sold globally under the following brands: Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, GM Daewoo, Holden, HUMMER, Opel, Pontiac, Saab, Saturn and Vauxhall. It marked the third time (2006, 2005 and 1978) GM has sold more than 9 million vehicles in a calendar year.
GM has been operating in the Middle East since the 1920s. GM's vehicle brands sold in the region are Cadillac, Chevrolet, GMC, HUMMER, Opel and Saab supported by a unique set of customer-focused services. GM parts and accessories are sold under the GM Parts and ACDelco brands. The regional office in Dubai covers the company's operations in Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, UAE and Yemen.
In 2006, GM sold 140,509 vehicles in the Middle East, representing a 24 percent increase over figures recorded in 2005, and the company continues to introduce pioneering programmes in the region. One example is GMs' unique Nationalisation programme in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which has been officially recognised by the Saudi government as a benchmark for training young nationals.
More information on GM and its products can be found on the company's consumer websites www.gm.com and www.gmarabia.com.
© Press Release 2007
