Trucks
Potter has been involved in the commercial vehicle and transport industry for the past 33 years and has been part of Volvo Trucks since 2014. He began his career as a heavy commercial vehicle technician and has since built extensive experience across a variety of leadership roles within the aftermarket, retail, and operational areas of the business.
“The heartbeat of the commercial vehicle industry is its people,” said Potter. “Fleet owners operate in a very real world with significant challenges. That is why keeping people at the centre of what we do, building trust and long‑term partnerships, is essential to ensuring we support our customers every step of the way.”
Potter believes that the Volvo Trucks dealer network in South Africa plays a pivotal role in customer success.
“Fleet owners want long-term partnerships centred around total solutions that enable them to operate with maximum profitability and reliability. When customers select a vehicle supplier, factors beyond product quality, such as finance, service agreements, fleet management, and parts and service support, are critical to their success,” said Potter. “Quality and reliability matter more than ever in a rapidly changing world.”
Volvo Group Southern Africa’s head office is located in Jet Park, Gauteng, and the organisation operates a Volvo Trucks assembly plant in Durban, KwaZulu‑Natal. Local operations include Volvo Trucks, Volvo Penta, Volvo Bus, and Volvo Financial Services, employing approximately 750 people, with operations supported by a dealer footprint of 20 dealers, 12 wholly owned and 8 privately owned across the country.
Volvo Group Southern Africa is pleased to announce the appointment of Stuart Potter (UK) as its new Managing Director, effective 1 March 2026.
Stuart takes over the helm from Waldemar Christensen, who has led the organisation since 2022 and will now assume the role of CEO at Volvo Group’s Designwerk Technologies AG in Switzerland.
With 33 years of experience in the commercial vehicle and transport industry, Stuart brings deep technical and leadership expertise. Having joined Volvo Trucks in 2014, he began his career as a heavy commercial vehicle technician and has since held a variety of senior roles across aftermarket, retail, and operations.
“The heartbeat of the commercial vehicle industry is its people,” says Stuart. “Fleet owners operate in a very real world with very real challenges. Keeping people at the center of what we do, building trust and long-term partnerships, is essential to ensuring we support our customers every step of the way.”
Stuart emphasizes the pivotal role of the Volvo Trucks dealer network in driving customer success.
“Fleet owners look for long-term partnerships built on total solutions that maximise profitability and reliability. Beyond vehicle quality, finance, service agreements, fleet management, parts, and service support are core contributors to customer success. In a rapidly changing world, quality and reliability matter more than ever.”
Please join us in welcoming Stuart as our new MD.
Belinda Butler
Brand, Marketing & Communication, Volvo Trucks
Tel: +27 11 842 5000
Email: belinda.butler@volvo.com
Volvo Trucks supplies complete transport solutions for discerning professional customers with its full range of medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Customer support is provided via a global network of dealers with 2,200 service points in about 130 countries. Volvo trucks are assembled in 12 countries across the globe. In 2025 approximately 120,000 Volvo trucks were delivered worldwide. Volvo Trucks is part of the Volvo Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of trucks, buses, construction equipment and marine and industrial engines. The group also provides complete solutions for financing and service. Volvo Trucks’ work is based on the core values of quality, safety and environmental care.