International Automotive Executive · ASEAN & China

Connecting Markets.
Transforming Automotive Business.

20+ years at Volkswagen and Daimler across ASEAN, China and Europe. I build market-specific business models, steer commercial performance, manage partners and lead organisational transformation.

Explore My Expertise Open Strategy Lab About Me
Experience
20+ yrs
Global OEMs
VW · Daimler
Languages
7
Portrait of Kamran Qamar

20+ years at

Volkswagen · Daimler

Strategy Lab

Live model

CKD retail

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Max kit

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Excise red.

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About Me

Background, experience and perspective.

Expertise

Strategy, market entry, CKD / localisation and transformation.

Market Intelligence

Trends and insights from Europe and Asia.

Strategy Lab

Interactive simulations for pricing, localisation and business cases.

About

Two decades connecting European OEMs with Asian growth markets.

Based in Langenhagen (Hanover), Germany

Kamran Qamar
Market Entry & Business Models ASEAN & China Commercial Steering Organisational Transformation JV Stakeholder Management Product Development Retail & Distribution

I am an international automotive executive with more than 20 years at Volkswagen and Daimler, working across ASEAN, China and European markets.

At Volkswagen AG in Wolfsburg, I am Business Manager for Malaysia and lead Business Development for ASEAN. I develop market-specific business models with local partners and lead cross-functional, cross-brand programmes. I have also led the restructuring and repositioning of Volkswagen's operations in Malaysia and Hong Kong.

Before that, I spent four years in Beijing building Volkswagen Finance's after-sales product portfolio across the Group's China networks and joint ventures. My career began at Daimler with business cases, transfer pricing and market-entry work on four continents.

Kamran Qamar signature

Selected leadership impact

€400m

EBIT responsibility for Volkswagen Touareg sales into China

€40m

Tactical sales budget overseen for regional commercial activities

2 markets

Restructuring and repositioning of Volkswagen Malaysia and Volkswagen Hong Kong

ASEAN

Acting Deputy Department Head for Sales ASEAN, coordinating regional sales

Career

  1. Dec 2013 – Present

    Business Manager Malaysia & Business Development ASEAN

    Volkswagen AG · Wolfsburg, Germany

    • Develop and evaluate market-specific business models with local partners.
    • Lead cross-functional and cross-brand programmes with Group entities, partners and institutions.
    • Drive restructuring and repositioning of Volkswagen operations in Malaysia and Hong Kong.
    • Manage regional sales priorities, including acting deputy leadership of ASEAN sales.

  2. Apr 2010 – Dec 2013

    Head of Product Development

    Volkswagen Finance · Beijing, China · Team of 8

    • Launched insurance, extended-warranty, wear-and-tear and service-package products across Volkswagen Group networks and JVs in China.
    • Built partnerships with Group brands, JV partners and suppliers.

  3. Jan 2007 – Mar 2010

    Project Manager, “Junge Sterne”

    Daimler AG · Stuttgart, Germany

    • Developed trade-in and remarketing processes for the Mercedes-Benz certified pre-owned programme.
    • Negotiated used-car warranty terms and supported the nationwide dealer rollout.

  4. Apr 2005 – Dec 2006

    Strategic Product Controlling Analyst

    Daimler AG · Stuttgart, Germany

    • Business cases, financial evaluations and international market strategies, with a focus on Africa.
    • Licensing agreements, product rights and transfer-pricing models.

  5. May 2004 – Mar 2005

    Management Trainee, Leadership Development

    Daimler Buses / EvoBus GmbH · Stuttgart, Germany

    • Strategic planning, profitability analysis and market entry for South Africa and Australia.
    • Developed EvoBus's intercompany transfer-pricing policy.

Education

Diplom-Betriebswirt / MBA

University of Ansbach, Germany · 1999–2004

Marketing and Controlling · Grade A−

Exchange semester

San Diego State University, USA · 2002–2003

Early international experience

  • DaimlerChrysler South Africa, Pretoria: diploma thesis on market acceptance of Axor trucks (2003–04)
  • DaimlerChrysler do Brasil: M&A strategy, commercial vehicles (2003)
  • Mercedes-Benz Türk, Istanbul: dealer development (2002)
  • DaimlerChrysler AG, Stuttgart: accessories & lifestyle, trucks (2001)

Languages

German English Turkish Arabic Mandarin Chinese Urdu Hindi

Expertise

From strategy to execution.

Six capability areas built at Volkswagen and Daimler, one integrated view of market, product and profitability.

01

Market Entry & Business Models

Market-specific business models with local partners, balancing commercial, operational and strategic requirements.

02

ASEAN & China

Deep market experience from Malaysia, Hong Kong and four years on the ground in Beijing.

03

Commercial Steering

EBIT and sales-budget responsibility, business cases, pricing and transfer-pricing models.

04

Organisational Transformation

Restructuring and repositioning of national sales organisations and operating models.

05

JV & Stakeholder Management

Working with joint-venture partners, Group brands, suppliers and institutional stakeholders across cultures.

06

Product, Retail & Distribution

Financial-services and after-sales products, certified pre-owned programmes and dealer-network rollout.

Strategy Lab

Malaysia CKD Pricing Simulator

Move the sliders to see how kit price, FX, excise relief and channel margins flow through to the retail price, and how much kit-price headroom a target retail price leaves.

Retail price (calculated)

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Ex-works / importer price

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Max kit price at target retail

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Channel margins / car

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Excise + sales tax / car

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Annual kit value (volume ext.)

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Price waterfall

How each cost and margin builds up to the retail price (MYR per car).

Scenario comparison

Store the current inputs as A or B and compare them side by side.

Methodology & model notes
Forward calc
CIF = FX × kit price. Ex-works / importer price = CIF + import duty + localisation + assembly + transport + other ex-works + VGM fixed + tax. Distributor margin = ex-works × md/(1−md). Dealer margin = (ex-works + warranty + other + distributor margin) × mr/(1−mr). Retail = sum of all.
Reverse calc
Max ex-works = (target × (1−mr) − warranty − other) × (1−md). Max CIF = max ex-works − local costs and tax. Max kit price = max CIF ÷ FX.
Tax
Tax = reference tax × (1 − reduction) ÷ (1 − reference reduction). This is an approximation for scenarios only and has not been checked against Malaysian excise or sales-tax law.
Margins
Distributor and dealer margins are treated as gross margin on their own selling price. The original may use fixed amounts or a different margin base.
Volume
Annual volume isn't in the source workbook. It only drives the annual kit value (kit price × volume).
Validate before use
Confirm the taxable OMV base, how the ED/ST reduction is applied, assembly cost scope, the 6% importer margin base, the 5% dealer margin base, and whether VAT/SST applies.

Simplified demonstration model for illustration. Not a validated Malaysian tax or CKD business-case calculation.

Insights

Thought leadership & market analysis

Request a briefing →
Kamran Qamar

Kamran Qamar

Contact

Let's talk about your next market move.

University lectures, speaking engagements, industry exchange or a walkthrough of the Strategy Lab. I'm happy to connect.

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