Alison Jones has said that she is looking forward to working with “one of the best Retailer networks in the industry” after being appointed as brand director of Volkswagen Passenger Cars.

A statement issued by Volkswagen UK said that Jones would take up her new post on July 4th following the departure of Alex Smith to a role “elsewhere in the industry”.

Jones has worked within the Volkswagen Group 18 years, ten of which were spent working within Volkswagen.

Speaking about her latest appointment, she said: “I’m very excited to return to Volkswagen Passenger Cars in this leading role. 

“We have a great brand, a brilliant team of people and fascinating products – both on sale now, and in the not-too-distant future.

“We also have one of the best retailer networks in the industry, and I am looking forward to working with them to deliver the very best experience for our customers.”

Jones has a broad knowledge of the Volkswagen retail network, brand, numbers and customers having held previous management posts and head-of positions within retailer support, aftersales and customer service, as well as a stint overseeing finances as brand controller.

In 2010 she drove the transformation of the Volkswagen Group UK Customer Services Centre in Leeds, followed by a move to Audi as head of operations, a role that included new and used car sales, factory planning and network development.

Jones was promoted to the Volkswagen Group UK Board of Management in 2012 as director of customer quality, and then moved on to set up the Group Aftersales and Customer Quality (GACQ) function two years later.

Paul Willis, managing director of Volkswagen Group UK Limited, said: “I’m really pleased that Alison is moving into this key role. 

“Her sheer breadth of experience makes her the ideal person to take Volkswagen forward at such an important time for the brand.  I’m very much looking forward to working with her.”