Automotive News Canada - February 2022 - 3

* FEBRUARY 2022
3
SECOND FRONT
'The world needs
CANADIANS
ABROAD
more Canadians'
VW executive sells Skoda
as he sells his nation's virtues
By DOUG FIRBY
AUTOMOTIVE NEWS CANADA
ERIC BOUTIN HAS BEEN A FAN OF VOLKSWAGEN
since he bought his first car, a 1974 Super Beetle. But the
Montreal native couldn't have imagined then that the company
behind that iconic vehicle would take him on a career
journey to two very different
parts of the world.
Boutin, 43, and his family
moved to Prague, Czech Republic,
in August. He heads customer
journey, digitalization, connectivity
and e-mobility for Skoda, a
subsidiary of Volkswagen.
The new assignment came
after three-and-a-half years in
Changchun in China's automotive
heartland, about 1,000 kilometres
northeast of Beijing.
EDITOR'S NOTE:
" Canadians
Abroad " is a new
occasional feature
that spotlights
Canadians
working in the
auto industry in
other countries.
Boutin first visited China when he was studying for his
master of business administration in 2011. After joining
Volkswagen Canada in 2012, he expressed interest in working
overseas. And six years later, he, wife Myriam and
their two children landed in China.
" It was a real culture shock, " Boutin said. Myriam found
a job teaching at the international school
their children attended.
Boutin learned important
SEE CULTURE PAGE 23
AUTOMOTIVE NEWS CANADA,
in partnership with Accelerate
Auto, is hosting " Embracing
Diversity, " an online panel discussion
examining diversity, equity
and inclusion and ways the industry
can boost representation of
Black employees.
Tapping underrepresented labour
is key to recruiting and retaining
talent as the industry shifts toward
a more diverse and inclusive workforce.
Industry leaders on the panel,
which takes place at 2 p.m. EST,
Feb. 24., will offer insights and best
practices. Panelists include:
* Moderator: Stephanie Henry,
On-Air Host, CityTV's Breakfast
Television;
* Yolanda Biswah, senior vice-president
and general manager,
Canadian Black Book;
embracingdei
Parts sector: Stellantis can't
have its cake and eat it, too
As of Jan. 1, the automaker began
holding suppliers to the contract
price - even with outside factors
such as pandemics and chip
shortages - unless the cost drops
By STEVE MERTL
AUTOMOTIVE NEWS CANADA
TOP OFFICIALS REPRESENTING CANADA'S AUTO
suppliers appear ready to push back against new contract
language from Stellantis that fully insulates the
company against cost increases and also demands
returning any savings.
" The majority of our folks
feel that they don't blindly
take contracts that have
this kind of language in it, "
Jeanine Lassaline-Berglund,
president of the Canadian
Association of Moldmakers
(CAMM), told Automotive
News Canada.
Eric Boutin's tip
for learning a new
culture: " Don't see
it through Canadian
eyes. See it through
their eyes. "
SUPPLIED PHOTO
Purchase-order terms and
conditions that took effect
for new contracts as of Jan.
1 cover all of Stellantis' suppliers
globally. The new
terms were first reported
by sibling publication
Automotive News.
Events such as the pandemic,
semiconductor shortLassaline-Berglund:
Suppliers
will take
" a pretty hard line "
against Stellantis'
contract language.
FILE PHOTO
ages, raw-material price spikes or other disruptions
are now " deemed foreseeable " by suppliers, according
to the new terms. That means they must assume that
these will occur and absorb any attendant costs.
But while they can't shift these costs to Stellantis
TRANS-CANADA NEWS 5,000 KILOMETRES OF STORIES
Neary directing data
to automakers, lenders
MARKHAM, ONT. - CANADIAN
Black Book (CBB) has named a new
director of sales, data and licencing
to oversee the vehicle value publication's
work with automakers and
lenders.
Kelly-Ann Neary joins
Canadian Black Book
from Volkswagen.
PHOTO: CANADIAN
BLACK BOOK
Kelly-Ann Neary, a 20-year auto
industry veteran, most recently
led the certified pre-owned and
corporate-fleet-sales business for
Volkswagen Canada.
Her two decades of experience with
automakers makes Neary an excellent
fit for the role, said Yolanda
Biswah, CBB's general manager.
" Kelly-Ann brings a deep knowledge
of the automotive industry, and
her history working with [automakers]
will provide our customers with
the insights that they need to grow
their businesses. "
In her new role, Neary will focus
on providing automakers and lenders
the data required to mitigate risk
and maximize profit, CBB said.
- David Kennedy
No MIAS, but the show
goes on for fundraiser
MONTREAL - THE COVID-19
pandemic forced the Montreal
International Auto Show (MIAS) to
Volpe: The Stellantis
stance is " probably
driven by accounting
rather than anybody
doing strategic
relationship growth. "
FILE PHOTO
through price increases, suppliers
are obliged to pass on
cost savings they achieve in
other circumstances to the
automaker.
YANKING THE SUPPLY CHAIN
Stellantis Canada would
not comment on the new provisions,
which aren't sitting
well with key players of the
automotive supply chain.
CAMM and sibling organization
Automate Canada
represent more than 800
Ontario companies making
everything from industrial
moulds and tooling to assembly-line
robots.
" What's not certain in the
contracts is whether it's only
for [parts] manufacturers or if it is something they're
proposing for their entire supply chain, " said LassalineBerglund,
who canvassed her members after learning
of Stellantis' new terms.
Suppliers will take " a pretty hard line that, yeah, this
is not something that we're willing to do, " she said, adding
that similar contracts have shown up with overseas
customers in recent years.
Lassaline-Berglund's members are willing to negotiate
but won't know whether Stellantis is until a supplier
sits down with the automaker.
" I would think the first wave [of negotiation] is likely
going to be a parts manufacturer, " she said.
'OUR INTERESTS ARE MUTUAL'
Parts makers are concerned about Stellantis'
approach, said Flavio Volpe, president of the
Automobile Parts Manufacturers' Association (APMA).
SEE STELLANTIS PAGE 19
cancel for 2022, but the charity
auction that normally precedes
the event shifted online
to continue to lend support
to six hospital foundations
throughout the city.
The virtual auction, which
ran for the last two weeks of
January, featured more than
100 lots aimed at foodies, art
lovers, thrill seekers and
sports enthusiasts, organizers
said.
Despite cancellation of
other show-related activities,
organizers said it was important,
" especially in this difficult
period, to maintain its
commitment to the foundations
that benefit from the
amounts raised. "
The auction raised $67,660.
All proceeds were directed to
six hospital foundations in
metropolitan Montreal.
- Steve Mertl
Landry focuses on
sustainability advances
VANCOUVER - STEVE
Landry, former head of
DaimlerChrysler Canada and
one-time CEO of dealership
group AutoCanada Inc., has
joined a British Columbia
investment issuer with a portfolio
focused on environmental,
social and governance
(ESG) outcomes.
SEE TRANS-CANADA PAGE 23
03
02.22
Virtual panel tackles DEI issues in the auto industry
* John Hiscock, senior vice-president,
Scotiabank Auto Finance;
* Steve Milette, president,
Nissan Canada;
* Christopher Nabeta, founder of
Accelerate Auto and the national
manager, CPO, fleet and remarketing,
Volvo Car Canada.
Registration is complimentary
at: www.automotivenews.ca/
http://www.automotivenews.ca/embracingdei http://www.automotivenews.ca/embracingdei
Automotive News Canada - February 2022

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