Wim Maes, age 40 and from Belgium, has been appointed Managing Director of Volvo Automobiles France. He takes over from Maria Stenström, who has been promoted to Vice President Global Marketing for Volvo Car Corporation in Göteborg. Volvo Automobiles France has currently 107 Volvo sales outlets.
Based in Austria Wim Maes has since 2004, been in charge of the expansion of Volvo Cars to Eastern Europe (Hungary, the Czech Republic, Poland, Slovakia, Bulgaria and Romania).
He took his new position as Managing Director of Volvo Automobiles France on 2nd April 2007.
He reports to Walter Verhaest, President of the Gallia Region (France, Belgium and the Netherlands).
Wim Maes has a degree in Applied Economic Sciences and a Master's degree in Financial Management.
He began his career with Volvo Car Corporation in 1989 in the financial field. Since then, he has broadened his knowledge and experience through various international postings at the company's European headquarters, at regional level (France, Italy, Spain) and at subsidiary level.
Wim Maes is committed to the Volvo brand in France:
"Our network is extremely motivated and dynamic. This is of vital importance for the French market. I am a firm believer in Volvo's values: quality, safety and respect for the environment, combined with a human dimension and a team spirit. It gives me great pleasure to accept the challenge that has been presented to me. Our sales target of 13,000 cars for 2007 represents a challenge, this being an increase of 21% compared to last year"
