New CEO for African Association of Automotive Manufacturers

The African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM) has appointed Victoria Backhaus-Jerling as its new CEO.

The first woman to lead AAAM as CEO, she succeeds Dave Coffey, who has served as CEO since February 2020 and is retiring.

Founded in November 2015, AAAM is dedicated to expanding and deepening the automotive industry across the continent. It works with governments to develop policies that attract investment and drive industrialisation.

In 2025, AAAM plans to expand its presence by opening project offices in Tunis, Cairo and, after legislative approval, Nairobi.

Backhaus-Jerling previously served as head of the project office in SA for the German Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) since October 2020.

Martina Biene, president of AAAM and MD of Volkswagen Group Africa, congratulated Backhaus-Jerling on her appointment.

“She has demonstrated remarkable expertise and commitment to the development of the African automotive industry and our board is confident she will lead AAAM to even greater achievements. We are also proud to welcome the first woman to this pivotal role,” said Biene.

“We also extend our gratitude to Dave for his tireless dedication in transforming AAAM into a highly respected organisation. Under his leadership, AAAM has grown from 17 members in 2020 to 80 members today and has become a key player in advancing automotive industrialisation in Africa,” added Biene.

Reflecting on his tenure, Coffey remarked: “The future is full of opportunity, with countries like Egypt, Ghana and Ivory Coast implementing their automotive policies this year, and others, such as Kenya and Nigeria, advancing their auto bills. Africa is no longer a dream but the next frontier for the global automotive industry.”

Coffey highlighted Africa’s growing role in mineral beneficiation, regional value chains and the establishment of automotive rules of origin under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).