Colombia. A group of more than 100 attendees from about 70 dealerships of different brands and cities fulfilled the appointment proposed by the Automotive Dealers Trade Association in the Esmeralda room of the Marriott Hotel in Bogota.
And it was no wonder because, along with the message of exclusive representation of the promising union, the group of speakers attracted the commercial arm of brands such as Chevrolet, Renault, Toyota, Mazda, Kia, Ford Volkswagen and Hyundai, among others, as well as a large group of journalists.
Under the moderation of José Clopatofsky, director of Motor magazine, first thing in the morning, and after the words of welcome and thanks from Pedro Nel Quijano, executive president of Aconauto, Ariel Montenegro, president of Renault – Sofasa, took the floor, who spoke about the challenges of automotive distribution in modern times, and especially the challenges of electrification. technification and climate change that every manufacturer, and its commercial network, must be prepared to face.
Subsequently, it was the turn of Camilo Pérez, director of Economic Research at Banco de Bogotá, who from a technical point of view shared a realistic vision of the country's current economic situation and at the same time an optimistic view of the two or three years to come.
Jorge Iván González, outgoing director of the National Planning Department, then took the stage, offering an in-depth vision of the global and Colombian economic reality, and noting how the general trend of low taxation of individuals has the global economy in difficulty.
In the middle of the morning, the conference was given by Albert Gallegos, consultant and former director of the North American Dealer Association (NADA), on the constructive role of this powerful union in its task of dialogue with the political powers of that country, as well as with power groups such as technology and retail companies.
Finally, as a highlight came the intervention of Gerardo Pérez, president of the Confederation of European Dealers and one of the architects of Aconauto. The senior executive referred to his experience in the creation of this type of association and especially to the two great challenges that the nascent association must assume: first, the dialogue with the branches of public power, with the media, with the power groups that are related to the retail of new vehicles and, in short, with the same dealers of other brands.
And, second, to the necessary professionalization of the entire organizational pyramid of the concessionaires by offering everyone technical and professional training, as well as soft skills, legal and tax advice, etc.
At the stroke of noon, Pedro Nel Quijano again thanked the attendees, promised intense work and invited the concessionaires to unite to work for the common good.
