Fuso New Zealand has appointed Kevin Smith to the role of general manager to help drive growth across the business.
Smith comes to the role with a wealth of knowledge and experience from the heavy transport industry including his most recent role as general manager for Truckstops.
He will work closely with managing director Kurtis Andrews and will also be responsible for developing and implementing company strategy and mentoring managers.
After training as a chartered accountant, early in his career Smith lectured accounting and financial systems at Massey University before working for various building supplies, manufacturing and heavy transport businesses, including trucks, trailer manufacturing and aftersales focus.
Smith also has a long association with basketball in New Zealand having coached a number of junior national and provincial teams. At an organisational level he’s also held a range of sport related directorships including for Basketball New Zealand and the New Zealand Academy of Sports.
“We’re excited to have Kevin join the Fuso family,” Andrews says. “Fuso New Zealand has recently seen significant growth both across our truck sales, which lead us to number one in the market in 2021, and in our parts distribution operation.
“We are now well positioned to consolidate and build on that growth through robust process and strategic development. Kevin brings some very relevant knowledge and disciplines that will enhance those areas and guide the next phase of our evolution,” Andrews says.
Smith says he has watched Fuso NZ develop since its creation in 2016 and has been “impressed with its growth, particularly now I’ve had a chance to look a bit deeper”.
“It is a privilege to have the opportunity to help support and guide its progress for the foreseeable future and I look forward to helping the team reach its potential,” Smith says.
