Volvo UK names Matt Galvin as new sales director

Volvo has promoted Matt Galvin, former Head of Retails Sales as the new UK Sales Director,and also a member of the company’s Executive Management Group.

Galvin’s latest position means he will oversee all of Volvo’s new and used car sales channels, as the company embarks on its next growth phase.

He said: “This opportunity comes at an exciting time for Volvo, both in the UK and globally.

“We have a new and dynamic product range that’s provoking great critical acclaim and customer interest, helping us reach record-breaking sales levels.

“My job now is to take new and used car sales to the next level – a challenge that I am greatly looking forward to, working with our excellent retailer network.”

Galvin said that since the launch of the XC40 SUV and V60 estate, and with the new S60 saloon arriving early next year, Volvo’s focus on attracting new customers had to intensify. The firm is targeting 60,000 UK sales a year by 2020, compared with 46,139 in 2017.

He added: “It’s also important to listen to our customers and ensure they receive the best possible service. For example, since partnering with TrackBack in February this year, we have been able to bring our response time to customer enquiries down to within one hour, 90% of the time.”

Volvo UK managing director Jon Wakefield said: “I’m delighted to welcome Matt to his new role. He will bring his proven skills and insights to help us achieve the ambitious sales growth we are targeting, supported by a strong team here at Volvo and within our retail network.”

In the past three years, Volvo’s annual UK car sales have performed well beyond the national market, with new car sales growing by 16% and used sales by 36%. In 2016, the annual new car sales total reached a 25-year high of 46,696 units, a 7% year-on-year rise, boosted by strong response to the V40 premium hatchback and the XC60 and XC90 SUV models. The momentum was maintained last year, with 46,139 cars sold, delivering a 5% increase in the company’s UK market share. This keeps Volvo on course to meet its ambition of achieving 60,000 annual UK car sales in the next 2 years.