Nissan Africa has announced the appointment of Jordi Vila as its new President. Vila will replace Joni Paiva, the current Nissan Africa President and India Sales & Marketing DVP, who is set to return to the Renault group.
Villa is the current Nissan Divisional Vice President Marketing and Sales in Europe,
Vila has extensive experience in sales and marketing, having led in roles both at regional headquarters and markets, including Nissan Netherlands and Nissan Nordics. Prior to this appointment, he was Divisional Vice President Marketing and Sales for Nissan Europe, and before that he was leading Asia and Oceania region as Senior Vice President Sales and Marketing.
Speaking on his new appointment, Mr. Vila stated, “Africa is an important and strategic market for Nissan and presents many opportunities in the years to come,” he said. “We have a strong local presence and I’m sure we will continue to harness that expertise to deliver exceptional products and services for our African customers.”
On his end, Paiva is leaving Nissan after 11 years with the company, which has included roles in North America, Africa, Middle East, India, Europe and Oceania region. Under his leadership, multiple new models were successfully launched across the region including Magnite and the iconic Patrol. Paiva is returning to the Renault group, where he served before joining Nissan.
Reflecting on his time overseeing Africa for Nissan, Paiva commented, “Nissan Africa is now well positioned with a solid organization and a clear brand strategy, underpinned by a unified product line up for the entire continent. Nissan is ready to capture the continent’s growth being the only OEM with a strong industrial footprint with fully owned manufacturing plants in Egypt and South Africa, as well as assembly operations in Ghana and Nigeria.”