Natalie Robyn
Managing Director
Volvo Car Switzerland
volvocars.ch
Stand up and participate in change
What are the top two issues that are challenging you as a leader?
First: throughout the pandemic, there has been a shortage of semiconductor processing chips and the automotive industry has been hit particularly hard, affecting our global vehicle supply. This has required manufacturers to look at an overhaul of their components supply chains as a workaround to ensure continued production, which has mitigated some of the problem but continues to affect delivery times and options. The next step is to continue to optimise while planning for future supply chain risk mitigation.
Second: climate change. Climate change affects us all – but especially future generations. We are responsible for ensuring that the next generations can lead a good life on this planet. As an automotive manufacturer, we must take equal responsibility and help solve this problem. Be it with the development of new technologies, with electrification, with ideas such as the principle of circular economy.
Volvo Cars is pursuing an ambitious plan to combat climate change – at different levels. I support this and am proud to work in a company that has clearly taken this initiative already many years ago.
What are the most disruptive things that you expect to happen in near future?
Electrification of our cars, online sales, growth. Let me share why:
electrification is happening across the automotive industry, and Volvo has been one of the first movers with clear mid-decade ambitions to reduce its lifecycle carbon footprint per car by an average of 40% versus 2018, but is also aiming to eliminate combustion engines and be fully electric by 2030 as well as to be a climate neutral company by 2040.
Online sales means a seamless and easy online consumer journey: We want to be where our customers are. The buying process of many has changed due to digitalisation and also the pandemic. Our all-electric vehicles are sold online, which gives an easy way to buy and drive a Volvo.
And finally growth: as a company, we want persistent and sustainable growth. The holistic structures we are currently working on should also contribute to this. For example, new mobility services or flexible options, which will be the norm in the near future.
What is your personal vision of a future you would like to live in with your loved ones? What should we do to create a future together that is bright?
First of all I would like to live in a society with a stable political and economic environment including protected natural environments.
And: we need to get involved in things that matter to us, have a voice, and stand up and participate in change or drive those paths and decisions as leaders.
How can we overcome a collective trauma as a society and as individuals, as leaders and role models?
We as a society need to resocialise and reculturise. We need to build safe environments. As human beings, we should focus on values like empathy and involvement. This includes accepting a culture of error. We should all remain open to new things – and drive innovation.
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