Zac Hollis, former brand director, sales and marketing, Skoda Auto India has joined Vietnamese EV major VinFast as its Asia Head. Hollis, who had played an important role in the successful implementation of the highly important India 2.0 strategy for Skoda will now play a critical part in defining VinFast India’s USD 2 billion (Rs 16,600 crore) roll out plan.
The move to VinFast happens within four months of Hollis joining MG Motor as its Prestige Models Operation Director. He was appointed as the Director of Sales, Service and Marketing, Skoda Auto in September 2018 and spent four years in India laying the foundation for the brand, which had gone on to become the top 3 markets for Czech car brands in 2021-2022. When Hollis left, Skoda Auto was sitting on its best volumes and market share in the country.
He was appreciated by thousands of Skoda Auto car owners for his active connection with the brand lovers and car owners through various social media platforms. In a career spanning over two and half decades in the automotive industry, Hollis has extensive experience of working across functions in Europe and Asia. Prior to spending 4 years in India, Hollis was leading the China sales for Skoda Auto between 2016 and 2018.
Despite multiple attempts to reach Zac Hollis, he was unavailable for comments. An email sent to VinFast did not elicit any response till the time of publishing.
VinFast India plans
The on-boarding of Hollis happens at a time when the Vietnamese EV specialist has signed an MoU with the State Government of Tamil Nadu to invest USD 2 billion in the country. Apart from overseeing the brand’s India entry strategy, Hollis is likely to play an important role in picking up key talent for the India arm, say people in the know.
The establishment of VinFast’s integrated electric vehicle facility in Tamil Nadu is expected to generate approximately 3,000 to 3,500 employment opportunities locally. Situated in Thoothukudi, the VinFast-Tamil Nadu project aims to evolve into an electric vehicle production hub in the region, with an annual manufacturing capacity of up to 1,50,000 units. Construction work for the factory is likely to start this year.
From the USD 2 billion, USD 500 million (about Rs 4,155 crore) has been committed for the first phase of the project, spanning 5 years from the date of commencement, said the statement from VinFast earlier in January. This move is a significant step in VinFast’s global expansion, which offers the brand an entry into the world’s third-largest car market. “The plan to expand into India aims to seize growth opportunities in the world’s most populous nation and rapidly expanding EV market. This initiative forms a crucial part of VinFast’s strategy to establish a strong presence in key markets and strengthen its supply chain for global expansion,” added the statement from the company.
Also see:
“Would love to do a Slavia RS" : Zac Hollis, Skoda India
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