Zac Hollis, former brand director of Skoda Auto India, has joined Vietnamese EV major VinFast as its Asia Head. VinFast has, earlier this month, signed an MoU with the Tamil Nadu government to set up an integrated EV manufacturing plant in the state.
Hollis, who had played an important role in the successful implementation of the critical India 2.0 strategy for the brand, will now play a critical part in defining $2 billion VinFast India’s rollout plan.
Hollis’ move to VinFast happens within four months of Hollis joining MG Motor as its Prestige Models Operation Director.
Appointed Director of Sales, Service and Marketing, Skoda Auto in September 2018, Hollis spent four years in India laying the foundation for the brand in the country, which had gone on to become the third-best market for Czech car brands in 2021-2022. When Hollis left, Skoda Auto was sitting on its best volumes and market share in India. He was appreciated by thousands of Skoda Auto car owners for his active connection with brand lovers and car owners through various social media platforms.
In a career spanning over two-and-a-half decades in the automotive industry, Hollis has extensive experience of working across functions in Europe and Asia. Prior to spending four years in India, Hollis led the China sales operation for Skoda Auto between 2016 to 2018.
Despite multiple attempts to reach Zac Hollis, he was unavailable for comments. An email sent to VinFast did not elicit any response till the time of publishing.
Hollis likely to play key role in sourcing top talent for VinFast in India
The onboarding of Hollis comes at a time when the Vietnam’s first-ever EV company has outlined an aggressive manufacturing game-plan for the India market. Apart from overseeing India entry strategy, Hollis is likely to play an important role in picking up key talent for the India arm, say people in the know. The setting up of VinFast’s integrated EV plant in Tamil Nadu is expected to generate approximately 3,000 to 3,500 employment opportunities locally.
Situated in Thoothukudi, the VinFast-Tamil Nadu project aims to evolve into an EV production hub in the region, with an annual manufacturing capacity of up to 150,000 units. Construction work for the factory is slated to start later this year.
VinFast and the Tamil Nadu State Government will work toward a total investment of up to US$ 2 billion, with an intended commitment of US$ 500 million for the first phase of the project, spanning five years from the commencement date, said the statement from VinFast earlier in January.
This move is a significant step in VinFast’s global expansion, which offers the brand an entry into the world’s third-largest car market. “The plan to expand into India aims to seize growth opportunities in the world’s most populous nation and rapidly expanding EV market. This initiative forms a crucial part of VinFast’s strategy to establish a strong presence in key markets and strengthen its supply chain for global expansion,” added the statement from the Vietnamese EV manufacturer.
ALSO READ:
Electric car, SUV and MPV sales in India jump 114% to over 81,000 units in CY2023
