Dubai, United Arab Emirates, May 18, 2009: Len Hunt, a veteran auto industry executive has been appointed Group Director, Automotive, Al-Futtaim and charged with leading the Dubai-based family owned business into an era of heightened expectations in the region’s auto industry.

Hunt will be based here in Dubai and will be responsible for strengthening existing principal relationships, creating avenues for incremental growth and increasing market share for Al-Futtaim Automotive, the foremost distributor of the world’s most desirable brands including Toyota, Lexus, Honda, Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, Volvo and Hino.

Al-Futtaim Automotive, which introduced Toyota to the UAE in 1955, also owns Automall the pre-owned vehicle division in UAE, Associated Motorways (AMW) in Sri Lanka, the Hertz franchise in the UAE and auto interests in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Al-Futtaim’s global reputation as one of Middle East’s leading, Forbes-listed family owned businesses that accelerated the region’s auto industry, was the chief draw card for Hunt to move to Dubai.

"Al-Futtaim is an organisation that has consistently demonstrated that those companies who build and nurture talent which touches the consumer – its chief stakeholder – not only enjoy sustained growth, but see real profit increase," said Hunt whose tremendous depth of experience and global knowledge gives him a distinctive enviable position as Middle East’s premier spokesperson for the automobile sector.

Hunt is an automotive stalwart. Following a 11-year stint with Jaguar in sales, marketing and service divisions, the UK-born Hunt joined the Audi division of Volkswagen in the UK as Managing Director in 1994. Five years later, Hunt stepped up the corporate ladder to head Audi in the USA and was promoted Executive Vice President and Head of Volkswagen of America in 2004. Kia Motors invited Hunt to head its US operations before leaving to work within Gallup Consulting’s Automotive group.

Hunt said: “The Middle East auto sector needs to win back consumer confidence, especially in these challenging times. Confidence fuels pride of ownership, customer loyalty, and ultimately a passion for the brand. Although Al-Futtaim Automotive already enjoys significant market share, my aim is to ensure that we delight our customers with our levels of service, reconfirming that they made the right choice.”

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Notes to the Editor
About Al-Futtaim:
Established in the 1930s, Al-Futtaim initially operated as a trading company. Rapid development throughout the 1940s and 1950s saw the company establish itself regionally as an integrated commercial, industrial and services organisation, positioning itself as one of the leading businesses in the lower Gulf region. Headquartered in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, Al-Futtaim is structured into seven operational divisions; Automotive, Engineering, Electronics & Technology, Retail, Financial Services, General Services, Real Estate and Joint Ventures. Today, Al-Futtaim operates through more than 65 companies in sectors as diverse as commerce, industry and services, and employs in excess of 20,000 people across the UAE, Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Oman, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Singapore and Europe. The majority of businesses, built on a portfolio of world leading brands, dominate their sector. The success of Al-Futtaim is attributed to proactively managing change while upholding the values of integrity, service and social responsibility.

For more information please contact:

David D'souza
Director - Public Relations
GMASCO Marketing Communications
An Al-Futtaim group company
Tel: +971 4 2282101
Fax: +971 4 2279801
Email: David.DSouza@gmasco.com