USA - Volvo appoints new Exec vice president for North America to boost Volvo's American presence.

Bodil Eriksson, currently Senior Vice President Corporate Communications for Volvo Car Group (Volvo Cars), has been appointed Executive Vice President for Volvo Cars North America (VCNA), in a new role as overall responsible for Marketing, Brand and Communications.

“We are committed to restoring the Volvo brand in the US,” comments Håkan Samuelsson, CEO and President of Volvo Cars. “We are a small player. Our brand is our key strength, a strength we need to leverage on. We are determined to show that we have an interesting offer to the US consumers. This requires an in-depth knowledge of Volvo, a capability to communicate to multiple stakeholders and a confidence in the interpretation of the brand, all of which Bodil Eriksson represents,” says Håkan Samuelsson.

The development on the US market is a key focus area for the executive management of Volvo Cars, which is further underpinned by the appointment of Bodil Eriksson to her new position. During this critical phase, it is paramount to establish tight connections between the VCNA team and the company’s headquarters in Gothenburg. This will enable fast and autonomous decisions which are needed to move to 100,000 units in a number of years.

“I am thrilled by the challenge and opportunity to bring back a vibrant Volvo Cars in the US,” says Bodil Eriksson. “Volvo is a very appealing brand to conscious consumers, irrespective of topic: green tech solutions, connectivity, safety or design. Volvo’s long standing passion for human centricity always show which gives us unique prerequisites to engage with consumers,” she concludes.

Bodil Eriksson will report to Tony Nicolosi, President of Volvo Cars North America and take on her new position as per January 15, 2014.

“This is an appointment which not only brings great competence and energy to our team, but also demonstrates the vital role that the US market plays within Volvo Cars and underlines that the company now clearly wants to prioritize US”, says Tony Nicolosi.

The successor of Bodil Eriksson as Senior Vice President Corporate Communications for Volvo Cars will be subject to a later announcement.

Bodil Eriksson joined Volvo Cars for the first time under the Swedish ownership in the latter part of the 90s, in the role as SVP Corporate Communications for Volvo Car Group. She was part of the first years of Ford Motor Company ownership. She again joined Volvo Cars in May 2012. She has a thorough background in brand strategy, marketing and communications from consumer goods and industrial companies from executive managements and Board