MANILA: Astara had a significant change in its organizational structure.

In a statement, the multi-brand firm now has Luis Torres as the chief executive officer and country manager for the Philippines. He assumed the position at the start of the year.

For his new function, Torres will lead the company’s Astara's operational growth and establish the company as a leader in open and sustainable mobility solutions in the region.

"Luis's appointment marks a significant step forward in our strategic initiatives within the dynamic landscape in the Southeast Asia region. I am excited about what the future holds, and we are confident that under his leadership, we will achieve new significant milestones in the region for Astara,” Astara Chief Distribution Officer Rafael Sainz was quoted as saying.

Prior to his new role, the new leader was the managing director for Hyundai Colombia from 2020. Bruzón — who began his career at Astara in 2005 — started as the commercial manager at Ssangyong Spain, then became Infiniti Spain’s Commercial Director in 2011 and was the general manager for brands Fiat, Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge, and Ram  in Colombia by 2017.

"I am honored to take on this role and committed to sustaining the trajectory of success that Astara Philippines has established. We will elevate our presence further and solidify our position as a benchmark for mobility solutions in the region,” Torres said.

Following the change in the structure, Raoul Picello — who will continue his role as managing director of Astara Philippines — shall report to Torres.

Meanwhile, Sainz also expressed gratitude to Jorge Belzunce for his “invaluable contributions” during the initial phases of Astara's presence in the Philippine market.

"Jorge's dedication has been instrumental in establishing Astara as a key player in the region. His contributions have been invaluable, and we thank him for his leadership and vision, which has helped shape our success thus far,” he added.

Astara Philippines — which was established in 2021 — is the distributor of Peugeot, GAC (Guangzhou Automobile Group), JMC (Jiangling Motors Corporation), and JAC (Jianghuai Automobile Corporation) in the country.

Photos from Astara Philippines, Astara Mobility Facebook page

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