Importers Celebrated a Successful Year

Importers Celebrate a Successful Year  

At the beginning of March, Škoda importers gathered in Mladá Boleslav and Prague. They reviewed the past year and were introduced to new developments, and the best performers received awards.

The annual meeting consisted of two main parts. The Brand Day work programme, focused on business and products, was hosted by the Škoda Museum. The gala evening featuring the 2025 Importer of the Year awards ceremony took place for the first time at Forum Karlín in Prague.

Martin Jahn, Board Member for Sales and Marketing, summarised the carmaker’s strong results for the past year. The brand set records in Europe and even doubled its sales in India. Jahn emphasised that increasing customer satisfaction is essential for further growth, achieved through a personal, human approach in line with the Human Touch principles. He also discussed market challenges and the strategy that Škoda Auto will employ to address them. Miroslav Kroupa, Head of VV – Sales Management, reported on the positive trend in the reliability of new car deliveries in 2025 and then outlined this year’s challenges. The main challenge will be expanding the portfolio of electric cars and further increasing their sales. Luboš Vlček, Head of VE – Sales Europe, highlighted last year’s historic success, in which Škoda became the third-best-selling brand on the European market. He also presented a strategy for maintaining this position, including an action plan to counter new competition. The new Peaq and Epiq models are set to strengthen the brand’s position in the electric car segment. These models were introduced at the event by Oliver Stefani, Head of ED – Škoda Design, and Björn Kroll, Head of VP – Product Marketing.

Improved RISE business model

A key topic was the presentation of the modernized sales and service network’s business model, now referred to as RISE. Initiatives aimed at improving the profitability of the dealer network and customer satisfaction were presented.

Matthew Bowden, the new Head of VI – International Sales, outlined the growth strategy in India, Vietnam, the Middle East, North Africa and Turkey. Stanislav Pekař, Head of VA – After Sales and VX – Customer Experience, presented achievements and future goals in these areas. The programme also included demonstrations of lifestyle offerings and the Fabia 130 model, as well as updates on training initiatives.  

Meredith Kelly, Head of VM – Marketing, outlined the marketing plans. She invited partners to Milan Design Week where Škoda Auto will once again be present following last year’s successful debut. This November, Valencia will host a global dealer conference focused on Škoda’s future strategy, including its product portfolio.

Awards presented

At the gala evening, Škoda Auto honoured the three best importers in nine categories. It also presented the Laurin & Klement Awards for exceptional contributions. The first was presented to Milenko Kostić from the Serbian company Autočačak on the occasion of the 35th anniversary of their partnership. The second recipient was Karim Naggar, who has been instrumental in the brand’s development in Egypt. The Sales and Marketing division also presented a special recognition to the team in Ukraine, which managed to sell more than 6,000 cars under extremely challenging conditions.

Overview of the Winners of 2025 Importer of the Year

Czech Republic

Importer of the Year

Denmark

Sales Europe

Morocco

Sales Overseas

Slovakia

Aftersales

United Kingdom

Brand and Innovation

Turkey

Customer satisfaction

Germany

Electromobility

Netherlands

Digital Products

Finland

Sustainability

Ukraine

Special Recognition

Milenko Kostić (Serbia) and Karim Naggar (Egypt)

Laurin & Klement Award