Audi Middle East certifies first Dealer Principals

The Audi Management Academy was first introduced to the Middle East in April 2009 in an effort to increase the professionalism at Audi dealerships and foster customer satisfaction in sales and after sales as well as staff retention.

Candidates can enter the program on several levels starting with Audi Certified Sales or Service Manager and can reach the level of Certified Dealer Principal after a minimum of three years training and the associated evaluations. In addition to training on business analysis and planning, process management and leadership training, participants exchange best practice examples on a regional as well as international level. Implementation and improvements at the dealership are monitored by Audi Middle East on an ongoing basis.

Jeff Mannering, Managing Director of Audi Middle East, stated "The difference the Academy program has made at the dealerships is already visible, mainly with regards to strategic planning of the business and increased customer focus. It's fantastic to see that the motivation in our dealerships as everybody starts with great plans and expectations into 2010."

At the same time five additional candidates passed the certification as Audi Sales or Service Managers: Ali Al Mutawa (Abu Dhabi), Mohammed Al Dhaheri (Abu Dhabi), Mounir Al-Rifai (Jordan), Essa Khouri (Syria) and Collin Mammen (Dubai).

Audi AG sold around 950,000 cars in 2009. The Company posted revenue of EUR34.2bn and profit before tax of EUR3.2bn. Audi produces vehicles in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm (Germany), Györ (Hungary), Changchun (China) and Brussels (Belgium). Aurangabad in India saw the start of CKD production of the Audi A6 at the end of 2007 and of the Audi A4 in early October 2008.

The Company is active in more than 100 markets worldwide. AUDI AG's wholly owned subsidiaries include Automobili Lamborghini Holding S.p.A. in Sant'Agata Bolognese (Italy) and quattro GmbH in Neckarsulm. Audi currently employs around 58,000 people worldwide, including 46,500 in Germany. The brand with the four rings invests around EUR2bn each year in order to sustain the company's technological lead embodied in its "Vorsprung durch Technik" slogan.

Audi plans to significantly increase the number of models in its portfolio by 2015 to 42. The Audi brand celebrates its 100th birthday in 2009. The company was founded by August Horch in Zwickau on July 16, 1909; he named it Audi after the Latin translation of his surname ("hark!").

AUDI AG's commitment to the region was confirmed through the foundation of its fully owned subsidiary in 2005: Audi Middle East. The current Middle East model range comprises the A3 Sportback and A4, the A5, A5 Sportback, A5 Cabriolet, A6, S6 and RS 6, the TT and TT RS Coupe and Roadster, the A8, S8, the Q5, Q7, the R8 and the R8 V10.