Francois Van Eeden

Hi, I'm Francois van Eeden, National Marketing Manager for Suzuki Auto in South Africa.

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My name is Francois van Eeden and I have been involved with automotive marketing for over 20 years. During this time I have had the pleasure of working on three automotive brands and have experienced the total perspective in respect of product life management - from conceptualisation, through the product launch phase, through the maturing phase and up to market withdrawal and product replacement. I have also had the privilege of working with product planning teams, engineering teams, finance and administration, sales teams, after-sales teams, advertising agencies and other marketing services suppliers. I am a results-driven, highly experienced automotive marketer who enjoys 'out-of-the-box' thinking to break through competitive clutter, thereby adding value and profitability for the brands that I work on. Specialties Marketing strategy, brand positioning, product planning, market analysis, marketing concepts, launch and advertising concepts and execution, advertising and media buying.

Senior Marketing Manager at Nissan South Africa

December 2001 - August 2007

Total responsibility for the marketing of Nissan’s range of commercial and leisure vehicles including sales performance and profitability.

Marketing Planning Manager at Toyota South Africa

December 2000 - November 2001

Total responsibility for the marketing and product planning for the range of Toyota models competing in the Light Commercial Vehicle market

National Marketing Manager at Suzuki Auto South Africa

January 2008

As National Marketing Manager for the Suzuki automotive brand, I am responsible for marketing strategy and all resultant activities in the Southern African market. Key outputs of the position include marketing strategy, input into the Suzuki Product Planning Process and ensuring that brand and dealer marketing actions support the attainment of strategic objectives, budget control, management and directing of supplier relations, i.e. advertising agencies and promotional/eventing companies, ATL and BTL campaigns, media relationships and PR. Suzuki is an exciting brand to work on and I'm priviledged to be instrumental in how the Suzuki "Way Of Life!" ethos is practised.

North-West University, Association of Business Executives (London)

1984 – 1993

BA Honns, ADBA (London)

Marketing, strategy, brand positioning, advertising, golf