General Motors (GM) Africa and Middle East has announced a series of senior leadership changes within its Commercial Operations, effective 1 June 2026, marking a planned transition across key regional roles.
Rohan Fernandes, currently Managing Director for Commercial Operations, Africa and Middle East (AMEO), has been named to succeed Sharon Nishi, who serves as Chair and Managing Director of GM Egypt and Africa. Nishi is set to retire on 31 August 2026, with a structured handover period already underway to ensure leadership continuity.
In parallel, Mohammed Al-Fayyad has been appointed as the new Managing Director for AMEO Commercial Operations, taking over from Fernandes. He will join the GM Africa and Middle East Leadership Team and report directly to Jorge Plata, President and Managing Director of General Motors Africa and Middle East.
Commenting on the appointment, Plata said Al-Fayyad brings “strong regional knowledge, deep commercial experience and a clear understanding of our business and dealer partners,” adding that his focus on integration and disciplined execution will support GM’s next stage of growth while strengthening customer and dealer experience across the region.
Plata also acknowledged Fernandes’ contribution, noting that he “played an instrumental role in building GM’s sales momentum and delivering consistent growth,” while strengthening dealer relationships and supporting the expansion of GM’s vehicle portfolio across multiple price points and propulsion systems.
Al-Fayyad’s return to the region underscores GM’s emphasis on developing internal leadership talent. He rejoins the Africa and Middle East operations after five years in senior international roles across the United States and Europe, bringing experience across sales, strategy, public relations and aftersales.
Most recently, he served as Customer Care and Aftersales Director for GM Europe, where he contributed to business growth, strategic transformation and preparations for improved profitability in 2026. Prior to that, he was General Director for the Independent Aftermarket (IAM) in the United States, where he delivered double-digit revenue growth, improved profitability and helped shape IAM strategy.
Al-Fayyad began his GM career in 2007 in the Middle East as a Dealer Standards Manager. He later progressed through sales and marketing roles, including Sales Business Manager for Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, before being appointed Director of Customer Care and Aftersales in 2015. He holds a BA in Economics from the University of Jordan and an MBA from Coventry University.
GM Africa and Middle East, headquartered in Dubai with manufacturing operations in Egypt, has operated in the region for nearly a century. The business represents Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac across 29 countries, supported by 17 distributors and more than 200 customer-facing locations spanning Africa, the Levant, the GCC and wider Middle East region.
