Page 25 - BRIDGESTONE PR REPORT - OCTOBER 2025

10/10/25, 1:52 PM Industry experts highlight the UAE's pivotal role in sustainable mobility during Automechanika Dubai networking event - Middle Ea…

The conversation then turned to E-Commerce Platforms as the New Engine for Aftermarket Sales and
Service, where Steven Pickering of Buyparts24, Ashar Ali Minai of Bosch Middle East, Vijay Gummadi of
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.

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