Trucks

Christian Coolsaet appointed new Managing Director for Volvo Trucks UK & Ireland

Christian Coolsaet has been appointed Managing Director of Volvo Trucks UK & Ireland. He succeeds Robert Grozdanovski who will move to Gothenburg to take up an appointment as Volvo Trucks’ Senior Vice President for Sales Area Europe Central East & East. Christian brings more than 20 years of Volvo experience, most recently from the German market.
Christian Coolsaet is appointed as new Managing Director, Volvo Trucks UK & Ireland from 1st September 2020
Christian Coolsaet is appointed as new Managing Director, Volvo Trucks UK & Ireland from 1st September 2020

Currently Christian Coolsaet holds the position of Managing Director of Volvo Trucks Germany since 2015. He will take up his new position in the UK on September 1st 2020, where he will be based at Volvo Group UK & Ireland’s HQ in Warwick.
 

Commenting on the move, Roger Alm, President of Volvo Trucks, said, “With his leadership and focus on building strong customer relationships, together with a solid Volvo background, Christian Coolsaet will be excellent in the role of leading Volvo Trucks in UK & Ireland and continue building on the great work done by Robert Grozdanovski, to further develop our position in the UK market.”
 

Christian was born in Belgium but has spent large parts of his career abroad. He lived in the UK for a period while working for a Belgian Bus manufacturer in the Midlands. He joined the Volvo Group in 1997, initially with Volvo Buses and from 2002 with Volvo Trucks where he has held various senior management roles. Before heading up Germany, Christian was the Managing Director for Volvo Trucks in Ukraine and later in Romania, Commercial Trucks Director for Germany, Austria and Switzerland and Managing Director for Volvo Trucks in South Africa.
 

During his five years as Managing Director for Volvo Trucks in Germany, Christian was responsible for both the Volvo and Renault truck brands and has played a major role in developing Volvo Trucks business in the German market.
 

Christian says, “I am very excited to return to the UK. In all those years I have always kept a soft spot for this market, and I am very much looking forward to working with the customers, retail network and my team. We have a very exciting autumn ahead of us with the launch of our new Heavy Duty truck range with four fantastic new trucks, which we very much look forward to present to customers in the UK & Ireland.”
 

Christian will be part of the Management Team for Volvo Trucks Europe Sales Area South & West where he will report to Senior Vice President Jörgen Sjöstedt.
 

Aged 55, Christian is married to Carine. They have two teenage sons who are studying at Warwick University. In his free time Christian likes to spend time travelling with the family. He is also very passionate about football.

Format PDF Size 556 KB

For further information, please contact:

Martin Tomlinson
Head of Media, Volvo Trucks UK & Ireland
Tel: +44 7775 938063
Email: martin.tomlinson@volvo.com

Volvo Trucks supplies complete transport solutions for discerning professional customers with its full range of medium- and heavy-duty trucks. Customer support is provided via a global network of dealers with 2,200 service points in about 130 countries. Volvo trucks are assembled in 12 countries across the globe. In 2023 approximately 145,000 Volvo trucks were delivered worldwide. Volvo Trucks is part of the Volvo Group, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of trucks, buses, construction equipment and marine and industrial engines. The group also provides complete solutions for financing and service. Volvo Trucks’ work is based on the core values of quality, safety and environmental care.