Adam Chamberlain, Aston Martin’s new president of the Americas, has not been seen much around the office since he arrived at the ultraluxury British automaker just more than 100 days ago.
Chamberlain, 48, left his job in November at Mercedes-Benz USA, where he was vice president of sales and product management and joined Aston Martin, filling the role vacated by Laura Schwab in late 2020. He was in South Florida on Friday visiting the home of one of the company’s most important customers, and meeting with dealers.
Chamberlain, driving a Vantage in the Miami area, pulled over and spoke for a few minutes with Staff Writer Richard Truett. Here are edited excerpts.
Q: It’s not often the president of a car company visits his customers. How often do you do that?
A: I’ve been to few customers’ homes, and I’ve seen some wonderful cars. If customers want to meet me, I am delighted to meet them. It’s a privilege to do that. It comes from the fact that I am a car guy, a car fan, always been. Customers who buy the special editions tend to have collections. When you are dealing with an ultra-luxury brand with ultra-high-net-worth customers, you have to say they have as much a right to call me and ask me to come and see them as they do a dealer. I really view it that way.
Tell us about your first 100 days.
It’s been 105 or so days, and in that time I have visited around 24 dealerships, some a couple of times. Dealers are our customers at the end of the day. Nothing happens without them. I wanted to get out there and get a good understanding and representation of the dealer partners that we have. I have spent a lot of time with our team to understand and rebuild relationships. You watch, you observe and you try not ask too many stupid questions.
What your priorities are for the Americas?
We came up with a five-point plan, still evolving and not quite there yet. But it is really just about being focused and clear about what we need to do. It has five pillars.
The first is about brand. Most people love the brand, they recall James Bond and the racing cars. We’re admired. There’s a lot of passion for the brand. But we don’t always do is get shoulders to the sale. We need consumers to understand our ultraluxury positioning and our products.
Next we have to focus on people and process. We have a super-small team. We are increasing the size of the team by about a third. Still a very modest-size team by comparison but we need to have a just little more expertise in the marketing area and in supporting the dealers.
The third pillar is products. Between now and the next 18 months we’ll have exciting new products, a new range of cars. Our job is to make sure the products are right, compelling for the region and to make sure people have awareness of them.
Next is place. We want to make sure we are providing a contemporary luxury experience. We are investing in people and training to ensure consistency.
Finally, there’s performance. We have potential in the region, with the right product platform, the right communication, the right people and processes and engaged dealers. We can grow sustainably and carefully.
Do your five pillars address all of the dealers’ unmet needs?
With respect, that’s an impossible question! A dealer will always find a need you never knew! The dealer wants product and communication; they want to be heard. And they want a dialogue. I have already met twice with our dealer advisory board and we’ve had candid discussions. We are [heading] in the right direction.
Aston is all about exclusivity, but the company also has to make a profit to fund future product development. What’s a good volume for the Americas that achieves both goals?
The definition of exclusivity has changed over time. There’s talk of 10,000 units sustainably by 2025; the Americas would be about a third of that. That’s a very sustainable volume.
What’s been the biggest surprise of your tour of dealers?
The genuine love and passion for the brand, the hope that we can turn this opportunity we have for this brand into a reality. This business is so much about the product. It’s front and center.
