Robert Arvedson
A distribution channel specialist with 30 years of broad automotive industry experience. Senior line responsibilities in Sales with several hundred million turnover responsibility, as well as executive Retail Network Development positions at OEM Central operations and National Sales Companies, with placements in different countries.
More than 20 years consulting experience to the automotive industry with 20+ brands in the premium and volume segments.
Work Experience
ARVEDSON CONSULTING - ZURICH, SWITZERLAND
Since year 2001 I run my own consulting business, mainly as a partner to automotive manufacturers, manufacturing groups, importers, retail groups and retailers. Focus areas are mainly:
- Consulting, mentoring, coaching and sparring partner to senior executives
- Project planning, setup, implementation, steering, monitoring – pan-EU to company local projects
- Sales performance development
- Aftersales performance development
- Pan-EU distributor network strategy and development, as well as
- EU block exemption impacts and strategies
In addition I also act as a sparring partner to non-automotive executives who seek neutral and transparent input from an experienced resource who «speaks their language».
Most of my client engagements are related to planning and implementation of critical projects, or to reactivate existing projects.
Fiat Group – Turin, Italy
Head of the worldwide Fiat, Alfa Romeo, Lancia and LCV Retail Network Development. Represented Fiat Group’s, at that time called «Fiat Auto», interests at ACEA, the European Automotive Manufacturers Association, in Bruxelles, in automotive block exemption matters for the transition from BER 1475/95 to 1400/02.
Volvo Car Corporation – Zurich, Switzerland
Director of Sales and Retail Network Development with Volvo Car Switzerland. At a regional level, Germany-Austria-Switzerland, also responsible for the local Volvo dealer network restructuring under Ford’s Premier Automotive Group, PAG.
Volvo Car Corporation – Sydney, Australia
Director of Sales and Retail Network Development (RND) in Australia / New Zealand after having consulted, coached and trained the Volvo retail networks and NSCs in Asia Pacific for two years as a director with Mercuri International.
Mercuri International – Sydney, Australia
Upon arriving in Australia I Joined Mercuri International, a large international sales consulting group as a business consultant and subsequently key client director after having started up and run my medical electronics software company in Basel and Zug, Switzerland, for 12 years.
EXPERTISE & PROJECTS
Substantial experience in operational Sales and Retail Network Development at central, importer and market/brand level. Quality and performance improvement projects and roll-outs include:
- Revenue performance consulting with OEMs, importers and retailers
- Sales performance management
- Strategic and operational business consulting – objectives, strategy, work plans plus hands-on and pragmatic implementation
- Business analyses and validation of defined strategic direction
- All matters with regard to the European Automotive Block Exemption
- Co-ordination of transition and driving implementation of new wholesale- and dealer agreements at pan-EU and country levels with several brands
- Project management, from pan-EU projects to isolated projects of various size and complexity
- Lead consultant to Audi AG in their «Q-Power» roll-out in Switzerland. Performance improvement consulting with 25 Audi dealers
- Fleet sales strategy and performance improvement
- Sales campaign impact on residual values
- Sales campaign effectiveness
- Multi-brand impact studies and actions
- etc.
Background
- Swiss and Swedish citizen, living in the Zurich area, Switzerland.
- PhD in International Business Administration
- Fluent in English, German, Swiss-German, Swedish … and of course in «Doggish» 😉
Please contact me for further information.