The BMW Group Regional Office in Dubai, responsible for BMW and MINI business operations across the Middle East region, has announced the appointment of Dr. Hamid Haqparwar as Director of Sales and Marketing for BMW Group in the Middle East, effective 1st October 2016. He succeeds Ralf Bissinger, who will assume a senior management role in one of the biggest BMW Group dealerships in Thailand.
With a career at BMW Group that spans 10 years, Dr. Haqparwar has held a number of senior positions in different regions. Since 2012, he has been located in India as the Director of Sales, as well as the Director Sales Channel Development. Dr. Haqparwar’s latest appointment heralds a return to the Middle East, where he spent a number of years as the Head of Product & Price Management before assuming the role as Area Manager for Kuwait, Oman, Bahrain and Iraq.
Commenting on Haqparwar’s appointment, Johannes Seibert, Managing Director for BMW Group Middle East, said: “It’s a great pleasure to welcome Hamid back to the Middle East where he has solid understanding of the diversity of the region, and considerable experience working closely with our importers. Developing new perspectives from his roles in India, will also enable him to contribute to the strengthening of our position in the luxury automotive segment in the Middle East. I look forward to welcoming Hamid as a member of our management team.”
During Ralf Bissinger’s tenure in the Middle East, the company witnessed double digit sales growth in the region. 2015 was a record year with over 33,000 cars delivered to customers, an 11% increase over 2014 figures. In addition, Bissinger has witnessed importers across almost many markets undergo multi-million investment plans to cater for the growth of both the BMW and MINI brands.
Seibert also took the opportunity to thank Bissinger for his contribution to the success of the regional operations: “I would like to thank Ralf for his significant contribution to our business here in the Middle East, and to wish him continued success in his new position in Thailand.”
