- Jeff Shafer appointed as Head of Product
- Anoosh Saffari appointed as Head of Sales
- Dane Harvey appointed as Head of Network Development
Sydney, CUPRA Australia continues to ramp up its operation in the lead up to its local launch in mid-2022, with three key appointments to the team, sought from within the Volkswagen Group network.
Mr. Jeff Shafer has been appointed to role of Head of Product, joining from the Volkswagen Passenger Vehicles brand, where he has led the brand's product marketing team for the past five years. An industry veteran, Mr. Shafer has also held senior positions with other global car brands such as Kia, as well as a tenure at Toyota's global headquarters in Japan.
Mr. Anoosh Saffari has been appointed as CUPRA's Head of Sales, coming from ŠKODA Australia where he was responsible for the Victorian, South Australian and Tasmanian sales regions. No stranger to industry start-ups, Mr. Saffari has extensive retail experience, having previously set up a number of award-winning dealership groups in the luxury category.
Mr. Dane Harvey has been appointed as the Head of Network Development, coming from nine years of experience working within the Volkswagen Group; most recently working with Volkswagen's Eastern Region dealer network. Mr. Harvey has also held sales positions for the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brands and his previous experience in architecture will prove invaluable to the CUPRA brand as it expands its national footprint.
Mr. Ben Wilks, CUPRA Australia's newly appointed Brand Director, was thrilled with the new appointments.
"Our brand roll-out plans are already in full swing, and it's great to welcome Jeff, Anoosh and Dane to the growing CUPRA Tribe," Mr. Wilks said.
"Their experience, knowledge and passion for the brand will be vital to our success in the coming years, and I look forward to working with all of them to bring this exciting brand to life in Australia" he continued.
Mr Shafer, Saffari and Harvey will commence work with CUPRA in the coming weeks, with more key positions to be announced shortly. As previously communicated, CUPRA brand and product communications will be run by Mr. Kurt McGuiness, in his expanded role as VGA's PR and Group Electric Vehicles Manager.
The CUPRA brand will launch officially in Australia in the middle of 2022, with a range comprised of the Leon hatchback, the Ateca SUV, and the Formentor cross-over SUV, with a range of performance and plug-in hybrid powertrains.
Adopting an agency model that embraces online sales, the brand will be working with key dealer partners from the existing Volkswagen Group network, launching with a range of CUPRA Garage brand spaces in major metro areas.
More information around the CUPRA brand, its products and its retail presence will be made in the coming months leading to its mid-2022 launch.
About CUPRA
CUPRA is an unconventional challenger brand based on stimulating style and contemporary performance that inspires the world from Barcelona with progressive cars and experiences. Launched in 2018 as a stand-alone brand, CUPRA has its own corporate headquarters and a racing car workshop in Martorell (Barcelona), in addition to a network of specialized points of sale around the world.
In 2020, the brand maintained its upward trend with an 11% growth and 27,400 vehicles sold, thanks to the strong performance of the CUPRA Ateca and the CUPRA Leon as well as the market entry of the CUPRA Formentor, the first model uniquely designed and developed for the brand. In 2021, CUPRA aims to prove that electrification and sportiness are a perfect match with the launch of the plug-in hybrid versions of the CUPRA Formentor and its first 100% electric model, the CUPRA Born. The CUPRA Tavascan will be the brand's second all-electric model and will reach the market in 2024.
CUPRA will participate this year in the off-road electric SUV's competition Extreme E. Moreover, it is also FC Barcelona's official automotive and mobility partner and World Padel Tour's premium sponsor. The CUPRA Tribe is made up of a team of ambassadors who share the brand values , such as the German goalkeeper Marc ter Stegen, the football rising star Ansu Fati, Hollywood actor Daniel Brühl, Swedish driver Mattias Ekström and four of the best padel players in the world, among others.