Rolls-Royce drives off with new director for APAC

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has appointed Irene Nikkein (pictured) as its regional director for Asia Pacific. Based in Singapore. Nikkein was previously head of MINI brand communication and product management, BMW Group Japan.

During her time there, she digitalised the traditional communication and media strategy, enabling the brand to fully take advantage of its digital platforms for its customers’ journey. according to her LinkedIn. She also integrated product management into the brand's marketing strategy, and built and professionalised a team of highly resilient, passionate, and young at heart individuals. Nikkein has been with BMW Group for 15 years and also helmed other positions such as regional experiential and sponsorship manager and MINI regional marketing manager.

Nikkein was MINI regional marketing manager, BMW Group Asia, at the strat of the brand's independent establishment within BMW Group business organisation, according to her LinkedIn. She was responsible for all MINI Brand management, and had to plan and develop strategic marketing plans for the MINI regional office, and dealer marketing activities across all seven regional markets. 

When she was previously BMW regional experiential and sponsorship manager, Nikkein was in charge of all experiential marketing activities and loyalty programmes. According to her LinkedIn, she also led a key pillar of BMW marketing's team in delivering highly-emotional and unique branded experience for consumer engagement; and oversaw all events across nine markets, ensuring they were executed on time and within budget. 

Henrik Wilhelmsmeyer, director of sales and brand at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, said that Nikkein has an exceptional track record and her broad experience, combined with extensive regional knowledge, makes her ideally suited to the role of regional director for Asia Pacific. MARKETING-INTERACTIVE has reached out to Rolls-Royce for additional informaiton.

Separately, Rolls-Royce donned a new look and brand identity in September last year to modernise the brand and resonate with a younger demographic of clients. It worked with lead design agency Pentagram to reposition itself as a “House of Luxury”.

One of the most notable changes in the brand's refreshed identity is the double 'R' representing Rolls and Royce, the marque’s founding fathers. Pentagram uncovered typography in the brand’s archives from the 1930's and used an art-deco style as the basis from which to envisage a new Wordmark – one suitable for the modern-day Rolls-Royce. The words "Motor Cars" were then reduced in size, with the emphasis reverting to Rolls-Royce to signify the brand’s wider influence outside of the automotive industry. The wordmark has also become more refined in its appearance and special significance has been paid to the letter 'R', to provide additional stability and prominence to this important character in the Rolls-Royce script.

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