Scania’s current Australian managing director is set to retire this year after helping grow the company’s bus offerings
Scania Australia has announced that managing director Mikael Jansson will return to Sweden at the end of July and retire after spending five years in Australia.
The 63-year-old has been the vehicle manufacturer’s managing director since August 2017 and says he will retire following his time in Australia.
“I was very excited to be invited to run the Scania Australia business after 30 years working for Scania mostly in Sweden, and I have really enjoyed my time here,” Jansson says.
“Scania’s performance has stepped up another notch or two over the past five years as we powered our way toward 10 per cent market share for heavy trucks.
“While the pandemic has had a major impact on our business growth potential, I am very pleased to say that our order levels continue to reflect record demand.”
Jansson says the company’s willingness to forge into the sustainable bus market has been a highlight of his time serving as managing director.
“Sales of buses and coaches continue to play an important role in our business. Not only have we made significant inroads into the hybrid-electric bus market, but we have already landed our first consignment of battery electric bus chassis,” Jansson says.
“I am also convinced that Scania’s battery electric trucks will have a successful future in Australia.”
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Jansson has had to manage Scania Australia through difficult times, including COVID lockdowns and work from home orders.
The managing director says he remains proud of Scania’s effort to continue delivering to customers over the past two years.
Jansson says he’s still excited for Scania’s future as the company continues to expand.
“We recently celebrated the opening of our ninth company-owned, capital city-based sales and service branch at Eastern Creek in Western Sydney, underlining our continued commitment to the Australian truck and bus markets,” Jansson says.
“And with my background in the global parts and service organisation in Sweden, I am very pleased that our parts and service business in Australia has also improved significantly, maintaining our customers’ uptime and bolstering their profitability potential.
“While I am sad to be leaving Australia, an amazing country in so many ways, I have some vivid and enduring memories to take back with me. I am also very pleased that I am seeing many more Scania vehicles on the road these days.”
Manfred Streit will replace Jansson, moving from his current role as Scania’s country director for Austria. Manfred takes up his new role in Melbourne in August.