Automotive News Canada - October 2023 - 14

14
* OCTOBER 2023
He helps build the foundation for growth of Genesis
By JIL McINTOSH
OSHAWA CORRESPONDENT
ALI SOBANI
EXPANDING THE SALES NETWORK,
ONE BRICK AND ONE STORE AT A TIME
GENESIS CANADA STARTED PRIMARILY
with at-home customer service - bringing
cars to their doors - but as the brand
grows, so does its infrastructure for new
brick-and-mortar stores.
That responsibility falls to Ali Sobani,
senior manager of network
development at
Genesis' head office in
Markham, Ont.
" It starts with longrange
planning for facilities
across the country,
that we have accurate
representation with the
right partners in the
right markets, " he said. " It's a two- to fiveyear
plan to build the foundation. "
Sobani also oversees the buy-sell transactions
for the stores.
" It's a little different from a franchise.
The dealer principal owns the location and
invests in building the facility, but we control
the logistics and supply chain. The distributor
doesn't have to house inventory,
because the sold units are dispatched to
them. "
Sobani, 40, was always interested in
finance, and he earned a degree in business
administration. He worked for three
major banks in Canada before going
back to school to upgrade his education.
Hyundai's manager of dealer development.
" Genesis was fairly new, and I had to
dedicate time to it. That involved launching
the Canadian [Genesis] image program
from day one. " Sobani moved into his current
role as senior manager of network
development in 2021.
" I was already working on many of the
pieces, but this is a national role, and now
I cover the entire portfolio across the country, "
he said. " These facilities involve monumental
investment [from dealers], and
the success factor is having these strong
relationships to support the ongoing
growth. "
Ali Sobani was involved with launching
the Canadian Genesis image program.
He oversees buy-sell transactions for
Genesis Canada as well as getting new
brick-and-mortar locations established.
PHOTO: GENESIS MOTORS CANADA
His program included developing a case
study for a company, outlining the potential
for a possible supplier acquisition for
Volkswagen.
" Hyundai had a job posting in 2013, and
I walked into the interview with a copy of
the case study, and the director interviewing
me liked it, " he said. " I was hired in
product and corporate strategy. "
He gradually moved up, finally to
MICHAEL BOWEN
A FASCINATION WITH ADVERTISING BECOMES
A CAREER WITH NISSAN AND THEN INFINITI
WHETHER IT'S A MINUTE-LONG TV
commercial or a quick hit online, advertising
must be grabby. Making that happen
at Infiniti Canada in Mississauga, Ont., is
Michael Bowen, senior manager of marketing
communications.
" I have three people on my team, and
my role is support for the strategic direction, "
he said. " It's defining the business
for the team and the [advertising] agency,
and ultimately the go-to-market plan.
" Then there's finding out if the campaign
worked and how it affected
Canadian consumers. Where there are
gaps to fill, we try new things to create a
stronger marketing campaign. "
Bowen, 38, was " fascinated with advertising
as a kid, " and he subsequently
earned a degree in marketing management.
Upon
graduating, he was hired by an
agency that had Toyota as a client. Bowen
worked on that automaker's experiential
events, including setting up the venue and
displays, attracting attendees and analyzing
the event's success.
" It was fascinating, and I wanted to be
in the auto industry, "
he said.
Michael Bowen
stays in tune
with consumers
to know where
to best position
Infiniti's
advertising.
PHOTO: INFINITI
CANADA
In 2011, Bowen
joined Nissan's digital
team, managing
social media and the
company's website.
He moved through
various roles to
become Nissan's
brand manager in
2020. Two years later,
he took on his current
role at Infiniti.
The position covers
all types of advertising,
including
digital and print,
and auto shows and
consumer events.
Getting customers
into a vehicle to get a feel for it is important,
Bowen said, " and when COVID hit,
we couldn't interact the same way, so we
looked at augmented reality and created a
digital campaign that allowed someone to
experience it through their mobile device,
which we're still running today. "
Advertising provides the sizzle, Bowen
said, " but I've always been curious about
the steak. To be successful in marketing
relies as much on data management as it
does on creativity and intuition. " - ANC
Kia Victoria truly is a special place to work.
We are a diverse group of individuals who come
together to work hard, and have fun. Along the way we
look after our clients, our community, and each other.
All of our success is directly attributable to this
incredible team. I am so proud.
--BRAD OSTERMANN, MANAGING PARTNER
Our team
makes us
great.
Automotive News Canada - October 2023

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