Thibault Paland, new leader of the Renault Commerce Group in Morocco

Thibault Paland will hold the positions of Managing Director of Renault Commerce Morocco and Head of Dacia Maroc. His presence represents a major leap forward for the brand and its growth in the North African country. The idea behind the appointment is to expand the Dacia brand alongside Renault. According to the Renault Group, Paland is the ideal replacement for Fabrice Crevola. 

The appointment is also a strategic move that will allow the French brand to expand further in North African countries. As the new Managing Director, Paland will be responsible for heading up commercial operations, both sales and marketing in Morocco. But who is Thibault Paland? 

Born in 1972 in France, Paland graduated from the prestigious Ecole Superieure de Gestion et Finances in France. He joined the Renault Group in 1997 and has held several key positions such as Key Accounts Director at Renault Parc Entreprises (RPE) and Sales Director at Overlease. With more than 25 years of experience, Paland has always been one of the leading candidates for general management. 

His long career in fleet management and corporate sales has been key in his choice, as confirmed by Mobilize Financial Services CEO Martin Thomas. 

The changes at the top of Renault not only affect the North African market, but also the European market, in particular the UK. At the same time as Paland's arrival as CEO was formalised, Adam Wood received the same consideration, replacing Guillaume Sicard who has moved on to become Group vice-president in France. 

With the development of Chinese electric cars and the uncertainty of how their arrival will affect the car market, the French brand is making moves to cushion the potential impact of this. The Renault brand is already the number one brand in Morocco where, at the Kenitra complex in the north of the country, it produces the vast majority of vehicles that are then distributed across the African continent. 

At the same time, Tesla's growth on the other side of the Atlantic is another focus where Renault wants to respond. The French carmaker has not confirmed any further changes in key positions of power, despite the approval of the brand's acquisition of HyVia. This operation concerns the manufacture and supply of engines and light vehicles, but possible regulatory changes and the return of the traditional combustion engine may change the more experienced Renault Group's mind.