Face-to-face with Iveco’s Martin Liebenberg

From battling to find a foothold in the automotive game to heading up one of South Africa’s most important van, truck, and bus manufacturers – that’s the story of Martin Liebenberg, managing director of Iveco South Africa. CHARLEEN CLARKE reports that the development of this inspirational man is appropriate. He is, after all, passionate about the growth of individuals.

Liebenberg grew up with a father who had a career in construction, earth-moving equipment, and transport. “So, diesel was flowing through my veins from a young age,” he recalls. But this didn’t mean that he had an easy path into the automotive business. “Funnily enough I could not get into the motor industry, despite the fact that my best friend’s father owned two Toyota dealerships, so I started my career with M-Net while completing my studies,” he says.

It was only when Hyundai entered South Africa – and did not conform to motor industry norms – that people from outside the industry were openly welcomed. “That’s when my career really started taking shape. Hyundai allowed me to gain experience in the retail dealer operations, new and used vehicles sales, finance and insurance, workshop, and parts. Most importantly, the company embraced young talent – and it was committed to developing that talent,” Liebenberg tells FOCUS.

After his time at Hyundai, Liebenberg moved to Nissan South Africa, where he successfully made the transition from retail to wholesale: “I held various positions – from area sales manager to manager of the Valid Value pre-owned brand. It was during this time, while I was responsible for the Imperial Group, that I was approached and asked to open Imperial’s first Iveco operation in Durban.”

Again, Liebenberg had to adapt, this time turning his eye from passenger cars to commercial vehicles. He did so with aplomb: the dealership was a massive success! So much so, that he was asked to establish a second Imperial Iveco dealership in Pomona, close to OR Tambo International Airport. “This was, of course, where my long-standing relationship with Iveco started. Little did I know that it would be cemented and that one day I would be part and parcel of the inner sanctum of the brand,” he enthuses.

Above: Iveco South Africa managing director Martin Liebenberg has a huge passion for identifying and developing young talent. He is very grateful that he has the opportunity to do this in his new role.

Before that happened, though, he moved to the Sandown Group. “Firstly, I was looking after the Fuso and Freightliner brands, and then later the full Mercedes-Benz range,” he relates.

After six successful years with Sandown, Liebenberg was on the lookout for growth opportunities. That’s when he accepted an offer from Iveco South Africa to become head of sales for the South Africa Customs Union and right-hand drive Africa markets. “When I joined Iveco, there was the understanding that we would localise the team over time. Six years later, this is our reality: the entire Iveco South Africa team is local from the top down,” he says proudly.

When asked about highlights of his career, he points to the fact that he has been fortunate to work successfully in all areas of the industry – namely retail and OEM, passenger and commercials, new and used – both in South Africa and in right-hand drive African countries. “But taking on my new role as managing director of Iveco South Africa is by far the most exciting chapter of my career so far,” he says with a smile.

Liebenberg believes there are challenges that come with regularly changing managing directors, who are sent to South Africa for a limited period of time. “Creating a culture of success that can withstand time and change can be a challenge with the managing director being replaced every few years. When a new person arrives, it takes on average 16 months for that person to settle and understand our environment… and then their assignment may be up,” he expands.

Iveco has wisely moved away from that strategy, instead appointing a South African with a long-term commitment to the brand. Liebenberg supports this approach: “In my opinion, appointing a local person to head up the operations allows for a longer-term strategy and consistency to be developed. It also affords the opportunity to mould the company, bearing in mind our local diverse culture. Strategy trumps mandate and a longer-term accountability for success is created.”

In a move harking back to his days at Hyundai, Liebenberg reveals that he’s passionate about developing people. “I have an unbelievable passion to identify and develop young talent. In my new role, I am able to achieve this – and I’m very grateful for that. You do not always realise the impact you have on people until you get a mail thanking you for the energy and time spent on another person’s development. Those messages of appreciation are few and far between, but they are reminders of what you want to leave behind. Building people’s knowledge, helping them develop, and creating future leaders is something that I would want to leave behind as my legacy,” he reveals.