TRUCK-MAKER Isuzu Australia Ltd (IAL) has appointed Kylie Barlin to its executive team as head of the company’s growing strategy division in her role of chief strategy officer. ​

Ms Barlin’s appointment comes at a landmark juncture for IAL, with a new generation product line-up launching in Australia this year and against a backdrop of a swiftly changing and increasingly competitive market landscape. ​ ​ ​

She joins IAL following previous key roles at Toyota Finance and Toyota Motor Asia Pacific and brings considerable experience in the automotive sector across corporate planning, ESG and enterprise strategy.

As IAL’s chief strategy officer, Ms Barlin will oversee enterprise strategy, innovation department, project management office and marketing department.

The remit of IAL’s strategy department also takes in the development of solutions for the here and now, something Ms Barlin reflected on regarding her appointment. ​

Ms Barlin said: “There’s a growing level of product parity across a whole range of retail markets, so part of my work is about identifying where we can be most effective in enhancing our customer’s experience with Isuzu products.

“It’s all about creating meaningful value over the lifecycle of a truck, be that from a product perspective, a piece of software or even a financial or ownership solution. ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​

“We’ve worked hard within the department over the last twelve months to review our own offer and really home in on key areas where we can genuinely affect some change and, importantly, add value for the end user.

“We do this by best understanding what technology is available, how these tools are being employed around the world, and how we can design business services harnessing these developments to deliver reliable, quality solutions for our customers.

“I’m grateful for the vote of confidence Isuzu has shown me with this appointment, and I look forward to complementing the strong activity already well underway in this important space.” ​

IAL director and chief operating officer Andrew Harbison said the role was critical for IAL’s continued evolution into the future. ​

“This is an increasingly important space for us due to the ongoing requirement to create tangible solutions to the transport needs of our customers … a better way of doing business now and in the future,” he said.

“We’re acutely aware of the imperative to explore a range of mobility solutions to suit the rapidly changing needs of our customers and the, at times, competing requirement to provide personalised, fit-for-purpose solutions. ​

“It’s on us then to deliver the best product and an ownership experience that provides our customers with value beyond the actual piece of equipment they’re operating.

“Having capacity in this space – to really think outside the box and structure products and services that create new, genuine business efficiencies – is an exciting prospect for IAL to be involved in right now.

“Having someone of Kylie’s calibre step in to lead the thinking around how we do business into the future is a big win for IAL and our customers.” ​

By Neil Dowling