Next 60 days to shape Buttner's Holden

The man shouldering the responsibility of turning Holden’s fortunes from bust to boom will take the next 60 days to inform his plan for the way forward.

David Buttner, former head of Toyota Australia, started work at Holden today.

And aside from a photo opportunity with his new Colorado company car, the 64-year-old industry veteran’s schedule included an all-staff meeting at Holden’s Port Melbourne headquarters, dealer council executive meetings and his first meeting with the automotive press.

“Interesting,” was Buttner’s first word to the small media group.

Buttner is known for his candour but is a polished performer. He wasn’t giving any secrets away today – primarily because he’s still open-minded about the details of what needs to be done to turn Holden around.

“Starting next Tuesday, I will start moving around Australia to meet with all of the dealer council members at their dealerships and I’ll be having discussions with employees, marketing companies [etc]… I want to get the antennae in the air,” Buttner explained.

“I want to understand first-hand the issues on people’s mind in relation to the [Holden] brand and the franchise,” Buttner explained.

“In having that understanding that puts me in better stead to go forward with the management team and people inside Holden to make the appropriate decisions to ensure we continue to drive the brand forward,” he said.

Buttner said the decision to come out of retirement (albeit short) was not an easy one.

“I didn’t jump at it lightly and I didn’t jump at it quickly. I wanted to understand about this iconic brand that I grew up with,” he said.

Buttner said family roots fashioned an “innate passion for the brand”.

“Then when I started speaking with GM International, naturally one of the first questions was ‘what’s the future source of product, what’s your commitment to Holden in Australia?’ and, frankly, I was buoyed [by the responses] to the extent it made me investigate [the opportunity] further,” he said.

Buttner disputes Australia has fallen out of love with Holden.

“Since my appointment was announced, I’ve had a lot of emails, texts, LinkedIn messages from colleagues, friends and family… I honestly thought in my heart the brand still had a very strong connection with Australia and Australians and that was reinforced ten-fold.

“I think there’s still a connection but we have to make sure the connection is current and the connection meets the customer’s needs,” Buttner opined.

Since 2014 the brand has lost 43 per cent of its overall market share. Buttner says stronger sales performance from products in key segments such as medium and large SUV (Equinox and upcoming Acadia) and LCV (Colorado) will be key to turning around Holden’s fortunes.

“For somebody to buy a car, we have to ensure we are on that consideration set and we have to ensure that people understand the broad product range we now have and the segments [in which] we have a strong product range.

“If people aren’t thinking Holden when they are considering buying a new car, then that’s a big challenge,” he admitted.

Buttner did not telegraph any significant changes to Holden’s dealer network, nor did he make bold pronouncements regarding the brand’s future ranking in the local automotive pecking order.

“I think time will tell that story. Our aspirations are to grow volume and share over time. I cannot be specific or prescriptive in terms of what that timeframe may be,” he stated.

Nor was he biting the Holden back to number one ‘bait’.

“You have to ask yourself the questions ‘do you want to be number one, what advantages do you see in being number one?’ and, in honesty, to have that aspiration at this juncture would be naïve.

“We have to get on consideration sets, increase awareness and work with our dealers to ensure the brand can get back to a level where it’s profitable for both the dealers and profitable for ourselves as a company,” Buttner stated.

“The upside for this franchise is still incredibly high. We just have to get all of our ducks in a row, have a strategic direction and get that navigation map clear in everyone’s mind,” he stated.