Toyota public affairs chief heads to RACV

TOYOTA Australia public affairs manager Brodie Bott will leave the market-leading Japanese brand later this month to become head of media and communications at the RACV.

There is no word yet on a replacement for Mr Bott, who has been in the position at Toyota since June 2018.

A former broadcaster who has worked in a variety of media and corporate communications roles beyond the automotive industry, Mr Bott filled the vacancy created when Aleks Krajcer left the company a few months earlier.

Mr Krajcer, who is now Telstra’s senior communications manager (sport and entertainment), had replaced Mike Breen who retired at the end of 2017 after more than 30 years of service.

Toyota’s public affairs team will also soon usher in a temporary replacement for senior PR specialist (passenger vehicles) James Wang, who is taking a six-month leave of absence at the end of this year.

In other automotive PR news, former BMW Group Australia product communications manager Adam Davis has joined Alpina Automobiles Australia as brand engagement manager.

Mr Davis said the new role is focused primarily on PR and communications across media and internal stakeholders. It will also involve dealer relationship management and product management, in conjunction with Alpina headquarters based in Buchloe, Germany.

Alpina Australia sales manager Phil Jeffery said Mr Davis had joined the specialist BMW-based high-performance brand “during a time of great excitement, as we begin a new chapter with the recent launch of our XD3 and B5 Touring”.

The new B3 Touring was also this week confirmed for release in Australia, docking in the second half of next year.

“Adam’s knowledge and experience with PR and automotive journalism will fit well with our future plans and opportunities,” Mr Jeffery said.

Mr Davis also remains involved in the charity he co-founded, Drive Against Depression.