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New challenge: Aleks Krajcer has left Toyota Australia after only a short stint as its public affairs manager.

TOYOTA Australia’s public affairs manager Aleks Krajcer has left the market-leading Japanese automotive brand amid a wide range of industry PR moves in recent weeks.

Toyota Australia’s product public relations manager Orlando Rodriguez is now the primary media contact, confirming to GoAuto that Mr Krajcer left for personal reasons and that the company was “moving rapidly” to have the vacancy filled.

Mr Krajcer was in the position for about six months, stepping up from product public relations manager as part of the company’s management restructure that took place with the departure of various senior executives last year as it closed its manufacturing operations and relocated its sales and marketing operations from Sydney to Melbourne.

Prior to joining Toyota Australia at the start of last year, Mr Krajcer was media and communications manager (motorsport) for Honda Motor Europe, and earlier worked as communications manager for Red Bull Racing in the UK.

Alana Jones

Among other recent industry moves, Renault Australia’s corporate communications manager Emily Fadeyev has returned from maternity leave, replacing Mel Cross who had been in the position on a temporary basis since April 2016. Ms Cross was previously PR manager for Honda Australia.

Mitsubishi Motors Australia Limited’s Shayna Welsh has also returned from maternity leave, however her replacement, Karl Gehling, remains head of corporate communications – in an expanded capacity, now including government relations – while Ms Welsh is working in a part-time capacity as corporate communications manager.

Suzuki Australia has appointed Laura Palmer as sponsorship PR and events co-ordinator, moving from Cummins South Pacific where she was responsible for internal and external communications, while Volkswagen Group Australia has appointed Narine Salmasi as marketing communications manager for the Skoda brand.

Emily Fadeyev

Ms Salmasi was previously national brand manager for PSA Group’s Citroen and DS brands in Australia and, prior to that, served as head of marketing for Ferrari Australasia and national marketing and public affairs specialist for Jaguar Land Rover Australia.

Former FCA Australia corporate communications manager Liam Price has secured a position at Nissan Australia after leaving FCA last year, taking on the role of internal communications and media specialist, while Mazda Australia has bolstered its public relations team with the appointment of Alana Jones as PR co-ordinator.

Ms Jones previously worked across automotive accounts at Nine Entertainment Co as a broadcast sales executive.

Over at Bridgestone Australia, Tom Worsley joined the tyre manufacturer and PR and content specialist late last year, moving from automotive consultancy Thomson PR.

By Terry Martin

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