Interview with Omar Alzubaidi, Head of Genesis, Middle East and Africa

Posted By: Tires & Parts Newson: Thursday, December 16, 2021In: Interviews, News

More than five years back, Genesis launched its new identity, is it possible to say that it now has its own independent personality and is going according to the company’s plans?

As a luxury global brand, Genesis has gone from strength to strength in the last five years. We are very pleased with the progress; Genesis is now viewed as an independent brand in both international and local automotive markets.

As the Genesis name implies, the brand personality embraces creation, innovation and luxury. We strive to create the finest automobiles and services for connoisseurs around the world.

In the last 5 years Genesis has firmly established itself as one of the leading luxury automotive brands in the market, with a robust model portfolio including the G70, G80, G90, GV70 and GV80.

Moving into the next 5 years, Genesis has unveiled its first dedicated electric vehicle, the GV60, a model that embodies the brand’s journey towards electrification. The GV60 follows the same model naming scheme as Genesis’ existing lineup, highlighting the brand’s continuous commitment to its values even after electrification. The vehicle also marks the beginning of “luxury brand lineup that interacts with drivers”.

Do you believe that the joining of an elite of international car designer played an important role in the creation of the new Genesis character?

Genesis’ design team is pioneered by some of the most talented designers in the industry. The foundation of Genesis’ design philosophy, ‘Athletic Elegance’ has been crafted on fundamental principles of being audacious, progressive and distinctly Korean – this is the triple formula that defines the Genesis brand identity.

Genesis combines the perfect balance between athletic and elegance. The joining of elite international car has allowed the Genesis brand to push boundaries and create a recognizable identity across the world.

Genesis recently announced that Donckerwolke is broadening his role to strengthen the brand’s global brand presence. Luc Donckerwolke will leverage his expertise in design to oversee design-related communications within the group. Adding to his current role, Donckerwolke will also lead Genesis’ overall brand initiatives in the global market.

Compared to the competition in the same categories, are you satisfied with Genesis’ position in our markets here in the Middle East?

Genesis is the most recent luxury automotive brand that has been developed in both the region and worldwide. Genesis has a strong standing in the market and against competition, which has been elevated by the recent launches of The GV70 and The GV80. Some of the most attractive models to date, Genesis’ entry into the SUV market helped to amplify the brands positioning both regionally and globally.

Why weren’t Genesis centers and showrooms independent of the parent company’s brand?

Over the last five years, we have been perfecting the Genesis experience. From sight, to smell and touch we wanted to ensure that the Genesis showroom experience was unlike any other.

After working with leading designers and architects around the world, we are finally ready to begin rolling out Genesis independent showrooms across the Middle East & Africa region, to join our already existing independent showrooms around the world, including China and South Korea. We are working hard to launch independent regional Genesis showrooms, which will be rolled out over the course of the coming years, available for Genesis customers to experience.

About a year back, you launched the “GV80” as a first step from Genesis in the category of multi-use vehicles, and it received a remarkable applaud in the regional market despite the global conditions due to Covid 19, were you satisfied with the sales results and demand for this model if you aspired to higher goals?

We received a very positive reaction from customers across the Middle East for the launch of The GV80. One of Genesis’ most popular models to date, the demand have proved to be extremely high and has exceeded all expectations since its regional launch.

The SUV market is becoming increasingly popular and is now in fact the fastest growing automotive segment, meaning that similarly to The GV70, we had some of our best sale figures to date with the launch of the GV80.

At the beginning of this summer, you launched a model of the multi-purpose category “GV70”, and everyone who saw this model agreed on the splendor of its design, specifications and performance, in short, how would you describe this wonderful model and what are the goals related to it?

The brand-new Genesis GV70 is the first athletic urban midsize SUV to feature a uniquely athletic exterior design and a powerful stance while also meeting the practical needs of an SUV.

With the launch of the GV70, Genesis has been striving to build an integrated and sincere connection on every aspect directly relating to consumer preferences – including design, product, service and lifestyle. The GV70 is based on a customer-centric philosophy and aims to provide a luxurious model that consumers want and assists with the needs of their everyday lives.

Can we say that the “GV70” has become a strong player in its category, that you have the confidence and conviction to confirm this, or you are still waiting for days to come to confirm this?

Since its regional launch we have seen a considerable response in sales and customer feedback for the GV70. While the car is still new to market, The GV70 is proving to be one of the strongest players in the SUV category. Having recently been announced as the winner of MotorTrend’s Golden Calipers” for SUV of the Year. The GV70 successfully beat nearly three dozen candidates and was cited as winning this year’s SUV of the Year thanks to its strong value proposition, stellar driving experience, engaging design, and an expansive package of standard features.

From a technical point of view, what is the most important characteristic of the “GV70” model?

The GV70 is the first midsize SUV model produced by Genesis and features a Uniquely athletic SUV design with a strong personality and a driver oriented interior layout that expresses the ‘Beauty of white space’ in its ultimate interpretation, completing a uniquely Genesis luxury experience.

The design of the GV70’s front is thoroughly unique. The iconic Crest Grille, which takes its shape from the Genesis logo, has been set lower than the Quad Lamps to reflect the SUV’s athletic nature, while the two-lined Quad Lamps evoke a sense of speed and dynamism.

The Parabolic Line, which begins above the Quad Lamps and runs elegantly along the side of the SUV, creates a dramatic contrast with the muscular rear fenders. The sleek and elegant coupe-like roofline, along with the dropping chrome line of the C-pillar, accentuates the GV70’s unique character.

At the rear, the taillights feature the ultra-thin, two-lined Quad Lamp, while all functional elements are set in the bumper, helping to achieve exceptionally clean, pure forms. The rear also features a number of subtle design details – including a G-Matrix pattern-applied bumper, and a unique vertical shaped muffler, accentuate the GV70’s athletic look.

What about the price, are you convinced of the selling price, or will there be some reviews of the selling prices?

We are very convinced of the Genesis line-up selling prices. Our models are priced in line with the quality, design and technology that makes a Genesis vehicle. Plus, customers can also enjoy attractive benefits across the Genesis model of their choice. Each model includes a five-year 100,000km service contract – covering maintenance work. As well as additional benefits including a five years’ or unlimited km manufacturer warranty – ensuring that clients can feel confident in their buying decision, as well as five years roadside assistance service for peace of mind. Lastly, all Genesis vehicles comes with 2 years concierge service to further add value to our customers.

We are on the verge of electric car technologies to keep pace with the future car industry, when will you launch the electric “GV60”?

Genesis will take audacious steps to lead the age of electrification into the sustainable future. All our newly launched models from 2025 will be fuel cell and battery EVs, forming an EV lineup with eight models by 2030. From this, we aim to become carbon neutral brand by 2035.

The GV60 is the brand’s first electric vehicle model based on a dedicated EV platform, marking Genesis’ journey towards electrification. It follows the brand’s first electric version of the G80. It will set a new standard for luxury electric vehicles with a powerful driving performance and various key features which are emotionally connected to customers.

The roll-out of The GV60 globally will largely depend on the electric car infrastructure available, as the world moves towards an increasingly electric way of life we hope to bring The GV60 to customers in the near future.