Volvo Cars has introduced a Direct Consumer Business arm as part of an executive restructure designed reshape “what a car is, how people expect to be transported and how they interact with a car”.

The restructure, set to be implemented from April 1, will see the Volvo Cars executive management team restructured to reflect the new strategic focus, planning technological developments and digitalization at the core of the company's future, a statement issued today (March 14) revealed.

It added that the shift would see the business “adapt to new ways of interacting with customers in future”.

As part of the executive appointments made as part of this move, Björn Annwall, currently head of global consumer experience, will lead commercial operations, responsible for running and developing Volvo Cars' global core business, focusing on growth and profitability.

Lex Kerssemakers, meanwhile, who currently leads the Swedish carmaker’s commercial operations, will head up the new Direct Consumer Business ‘cluster’ responsible for developing new direct business relationships with consumers.

Kerssemakers will be responsible for Care by Volvo, the company's subscription service, and the standalone unit M, the shared mobility service as well as Uptime, the company's new customer service business, Volvo Cars said.

Henrik Green, who will continue to run research and development will see his lead role in the product creation and quality cluster, which is to be expanded with the inclusion of design and consumer and enterprise digital.