Page 14 - BRIDGESTONE PR REPORT - OCTOBER 2025

10/10/25, 1:51 PM Industry experts highlight the UAE’s pivotal role in sustainable mobility during Automechanika Dubai networking event
Autorox, and Hani Tannir of Al Masaood discussed how digital sales channels are transforming customer
access to parts and services, and the opportunities and challenges of building consumer trust in online
platforms.

“Digital will always be our North Star, but in B2B, it is still quite ‘fidgital’ in nature – you still need the

support of a salesperson, that physical push. We have found that some customers are more advanced
and more free-flowing on the digital side, but we’ve realised the importance of meeting customers at
different levels of adoption. We’ve had to establish what our customer language is, versus ours,” added
Pickering.

Sustainability was brought into focus in a session on Powering a Sustainable Aftermarket with Circular
Economy, moderated by Nirmal Shani, Global Energy & Sustainability. The panel, featuring Talha
Marzouk of OWS Automotive Solutions, Raji Hattar, Sustainability & ESG Strategy Advisor, and Raya
Makawi, Advisor in ESG & Government Affairs, discussed practical strategies for remanufacturing,
recycling, and resource efficiency as essential tools for achieving greener operations.

Elsewhere, attention shifted to Navigating a Future with EVs and ADAS, moderated by Heiko Seitz of
PwC, where Dr Manfred Braenl, Porsche Middle East & Africa, Dr. Nima Mehrdadi of HELLA Middle
East, Roberto Lopes Da Silva, NIO UAE, and Gurhan Cevikel of Bridgestone Middle East Africa
addressed how the widespread adoption of electric vehicles and advanced driver assistance systems

will require new service models, advanced training for technicians, and investments in supporting
infrastructure.

The day closed with insights on the region’s resilience and growth potential, including Shehab Sultan
Mesmar of Dubai Auto Market, who highlighted the aftermarket ecosystem’s next frontier, followed by a
panel on Future-Proofing Supply Chains Through Localisation with Vishnu Suresh, Kearney, Rajkumar

Venkatapathy, Central Motors and Equipment, Aftaab Aboobacker of Bilstein Group, Sajith Sulayman,
Autotek.io who examined how strengthening regional supply capabilities can mitigate global disruptions
and build long-term industry stability.

Tommy Le, Show Manager of Automechanika Dubai at Messe Frankfurt Middle East, said: “The

Automechanika Network provides the aftermarket community with a unique space for forward-looking
dialogue. By hosting the 23rd edition in Abu Dhabi, we broadened the conversation to include fresh
perspectives from across the industry. These discussions offer valuable insights as we build towards
Automechanika Dubai 2025 this December.”

Automechanika Dubai, the largest international automotive aftermarket trade exhibition in the Middle

East and Africa, will return to the Dubai World Trade Centre from 9 to 11 December 2025. The 22nd
edition will welcome over 2,400 exhibitors from more than 60 countries, featuring 20 international
pavilions and expanded coverage across 20 halls.

About Automechanika Dubai

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