He is young. He is smart. And he is an expert in the automotive business. Meet Glenn Tan, group chief executive of PT Motor Image Group. PT Motor Image Group is the company that distributes, sells and provides service for Subaru cars in the Asia region, covering Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Hong Kong, South China, the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Cambodia.
Talking to Tan means talking and discussing the automotive industry. For Tan, it is an industry that keeps developing. Despite being hit by the global economic crisis, Tan says the automotive industry still has a chance to grow in the region, including in Indonesia, thanks to the wide market geography and segment as well as the various types of customers in the country.
Indonesia, indeed, has a huge growing market. Automotives are nothing new for this good looking man, who was born in Singapore on Feb. 5, 1978.
He has known it since childhood because he was born into a family that ran an automotive business. “My family has been in the business for 50 years. That allows me to understand the automotive industry,” said Tan, who is a go-cart enthusiast.
Tan is also in charge of Tan Chong International Limited following his appointment as the company’s executive director.
“That means I have to take care all of the businesses under the management of Tan Chong,” he said.
Tan joined the Singapore office of Motor Image Group in 2001. As the chief executive, he oversees the business and its development as well as the marketing of Subaru cars all over the Asia region, including Indonesia. Motor Image Group works in cooperation with Fuji Heavy Industries, Subaru’s Japan-based holding company since 1986, said Tan.
He acknowledges that Subaru is not as popular as other cars in Indonesia for a variety of reasons. However, he is sure that Subaru has potential in the country.
“We will continue to introduce Subaru to Indonesians and improve its image,” he said optimistically.
With Subaru’s Indonesian sales increasing annually, the company is targeting to sell 200 cars in 2010. The Japanese yen has started to strengthen, which is good for Subaru. To boost Subaru sales in Indonesia, Tan is working on breakthroughs and is confident that sales will increase significantly.
