Case IH has appointed Peter Friis as marketing director, Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) with effect from 1 February 2017.
Based at the company’s European headquarters in St Valentin, Austria, Peter is responsible for all aspects of marketing Case IH products in the EMEA region, from pricing, dealer support and technical training to brand communications.
Commenting on his new role, Peter states: “I am particularly excited to be taking on this new challenge at the start of a year in which Case IH celebrates its 175th anniversary. I look forward to working with my colleagues throughout the EMEA region to further increase customer awareness of Case IH and assist our dealers to build their businesses.
“Case IH is becoming the brand-of-choice for increasing numbers of professional farmers and agri-businesses who require agricutural machinery that is at the forefront of technical innovation, benefits from excellent manufacturer/dealer support and provides low total cost of ownership.
“Our current product ranges are market-leading, with state-of-the-art technologies such as Advanced Farming Systems (AFS) and AFS Connect which provide farmers with more control over every operation than ever before, enabling them to optimise productivity and maximise profitability. Many who have purchased other brands in the past now regard Case IH as a key part of their business operations.”
Born in Denmark, Peter joined the Ford Motor Company in Copenhagen in 1984, and after an apprenticeship worked for the company’s Agricultural Division. Following its acquisition by the Fiat Group he transferred to Case IH, initially in an administrative position before joining the Marketing Department in Copenhagen. Peter was subsequently appointed Business Manager – Scandinavia and in 2000 became Marketing Manager – UK.
After three years he moved back to Copenhagen as Promotions and Communications Manager – Scandinavia and in 2005 was tasked with establishing the company’s own distribution network in that region. The highly successful outcome of this project led to him being appointed Business Director – Nordic & Baltic in 2007. Case IH has subsequently become very successful in the Baltic area and is the top-selling brand in Lithuania, the largest of the three markets in the region.
Peter adds: “The recent introduction of new models such as the Magnum Rowtrac and Optum 300 CVX, ‘Tractor Of The Year 2017’, have created real excitement throughout the agricultural industry. The Autononomous Concept Vehicle, which was first shown at the 2016 Farm Progress Show in Iowa, has been a very positive development and greatly enhanced customer awareness and perception of Case IH. This unique concept will also be presented at the forthcoming SIMA 2017 show in Paris, providing an exclusive opportunity to see the ACV in Europe.”
Matthew Foster, Vice President for Case IH EMEA, added:
“I am delighted to welcome Peter to his new role, which follows the success he achieved in developing the Case IH business in the Baltic states and Scandinavia over the last few years. His knowledge and skills are a valuable addition to our team in Europe and I look forward to working closely with him.
“Farmers around the world face considerable challenges and the most progressive increasingly rely on, and appreciate the value of, the latest technology, adapted to local conditions, to help their businesses overcome shortages of labour, improve productivity and enable them to operate
sustainably. Case IH is ideally placed to help, by providing an extensive range of highly innovative products, services and dealer support facilities as part of a comprehensive package.”
