Abbey Thomas, who previously served as Chief General Manager – Head of Marketing and Public Relations at Volkswagen India, has been named Country Head for Bentley India by Škoda Auto Volkswagen India. According to a report by AutoCar, Thomas will officially take on his new role in January 2024, reporting directly to Jan Bures, Executive Director of Sales, Marketing, and Digital at Škoda Auto Volkswagen India.
The report also noted Bentley Motors’ plans to transition its operations in India from its importer, Exclusive Motors, to Škoda Volkswagen Group India’s national sales office. This strategic move aims to streamline operations, enhance service quality, improve parts availability, and broaden Bentley’s presence with a new dealership in Southern India.
Bentley, a marquee luxury brand under the Volkswagen (VW) Group, joined VW’s premium brand division, Audi, in 2022. VW’s portfolio also includes Škoda, Audi, Porsche, and Lamborghini.
Thomas, an MBA graduate in Marketing from the Department of Management Studies (PUMBA), started his career as a Sales Officer at Kinetic Finance. He then moved to Mercedes-Benz India as a Marketing Manager before taking on leadership roles in the Middle East and India.
In Oman, he led marketing and PR efforts at Saud Bahwan Group and later joined Honda Cars India as Manager – Product Planning. Subsequently, he worked at Toyota Kirloskar Motor as Division Lead – Product Planning, followed by a tenure at Nissan in Dubai as Division Lead – Product.
Thomas’s journey with Audi India began as General Manager – Product, where he rose to Chief General Manager – Head of Product and Sales Planning. His extensive experience in the automotive industry positions him well to lead Bentley’s growth and operations in the Indian market.
