Mahindra PH is gung-ho to be ‘jai ho’

THE AUTHOR (extreme left) with Pravin Shah, president and CEO of automotive division of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd.; Asianbrands Motors Corp. president Felix Mabilog Jr.; Joydeep Moitra, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. head of international sales-automotive sector; and Anis Sayyad, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. deputy general manager for international operations

IF YOU’RE worth $16.5 billion, headquartered in the heart of the world’s second most populous nation, and considered among the world’s most powerful companies, wouldn’t you also try your luck in a country that’s on a roll?

That’s what Mahindra & Mahindra has done. Via Asianbrands Motors Corp, it has entered the Philippine automotive industry by introducing its lineup of vehicles and opening six of the planned 21 dealerships in just a span of three months. And that’s just for starters.

At the July 13 launch of the Mahindra brand at Edsa Shangri-la, Asianbrands announced the locations of the three dealerships that had just opened—at Quirino Avenue, Las Pinas, and Pasay—and the three more to be opened in the provinces—Cebu, Cagayan de Oro and Butuan.

High-quality standards

Each new dealership, Asianbrands assured, would carry “high quality standards in sales, service and spare parts, state-of-the art facilities, proficient service technicians, and highly knowledgeable sales consultants.”

Mahindra & Mahindra had been featured in 2014 as among the Forbes Global 2000’s list of the world’s largest, most powerful public companies as measured by revenue, profit, assets and market value.

Based in Mumbai, India, Mahindra & Mahindra employs more than 180,000 people in over 100 countries, and enjoys leadership positions in tractors, utility vehicles, information technology, financial services and property industry.

Mahindra & Mahindra is also into agribusiness, aerospace, defense, energy, industrial equipment, logistics, and other endeavors.

For the diversity it has shown, the Mahindra Group received the Financial Times Boldness in Business Award in the Emerging Markets category in 2013.

Felix Mabilog, Jr., president of Asianbrands Motors Corp., revealed to Inquirer Motoring that apart from the planned 21 Mahindra dealerships to be opened, Mahindra would already have “57 dealers outright,” what with a “technical agreement between Mahindra and Kia—Columbian Autocar Corp. (CAC) wherein we can utilize and train people” to service Mahindra vehicles.

“We have selected people in these Kia dealerships who will be attending to the Mahindra vehicles. These (two brands) would have separate areas in the 57 dealerships,” he said.

In the Philippines, Mahindra would be a division of CAC.

Team Mahindra Enforcers

Mabilog was also gung-ho with Mahindra’s presence in the country, boldly predicting that on its fifth year, the brand would be selling “at least 10,450 units combined government and commercial vehicle sales that will focus on models that ordinary people need.”

Mabilog also announced the change of branding of the Kia team in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA), one of the youngest teams in the pro league. When the the 41st season of Asia’s first “play-for-pay” basketball league opens, team Kia will be known as the Mahindra Enforcers.

MAHINDRA in the Philippines will focus on models like the Enforcer that ordinary people need while being suitable to the local terrain and weather conditions.

At the July 13 launch, Mabilog called on CAC president and representative to the PBA board of governors Ginia R. Domingo to join him on stage. Domingo said “the Mahindra Enforcer team supports the entry of Mahindra vehicles in the Philippines.”

She added: “In its initial showing in the PBA’s 40th season, our Kia Sorento and Kia Carnival teams have shown their mettle and their determination to be a championship contender in the league. We are quite proud of this achievement in such a short period of time.”

Pravin Shah, president and CEO of the automotive division and member of the group executive board of Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd., who was present during the Philippine launch, said: “Expect (our local) partner to gain local expertise in terms of overall business and approach.” He also described the naming of the PBA team as a good branding move.

“We are very pleased with how Mahindra has rapidly

expanded its dealer network here in the Philippines. In the months and years to come, it is our vision to further expand and strengthen the presence of Mahindra in the Philippine automotive market,” said Shah.

“Since 1990, we have been the segment leader in the SUV and MPV category. Last year, we had a 40-percent market share in India,” said Shah, adding that the company achieved this despite the presence of globally recognized auto brands in India.

“We continue to be the market leader, and the reason for that is we understand Indian customers’ requirements far better.”

Shah pointed out that the Mahindra pickup in India enjoys a 74-percent market share.

He also predicts Mahindra to do well in the Philippines. “We have done a lot of market studies on the Philippines, and I think Mahindra is the right fit for this market. On top of that, we have found the right partner that shares our vision and our road map into this country.”

That road map should lead Mahindra and Asianbrands to shout “jai ho!”, the Hindi phrase for “victory prevails.”