AAAM further expands into North Africa

The African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM) is strengthening its commitment to the industrialization and development of Africa’s automotive sector with the establishment of a new regional office in Tunisia.

The AAAM North Africa office will focus on advancing the automotive industry across North Africa, with a particular emphasis on component manufacturing and regional trade integration.

The newly established office, based within the premises of the Tunisian Automotive Association (TAA) – and supported by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) – will be led by Akrem Sàadaoui, who has been appointed to head AAAM’s North Africa operations.

“We congratulate Akrem on his appointment and wish him every success as he identifies and leads projects that stimulate new vehicle demand across North Africa and beyond. This includes supporting the development of auto policy programmes and creating linkages on the continent,” said Victoria Backhaus-Jerling, CEO of AAAM.

“North Africa, particularly Tunisia and Morocco, already has a strong foundation in component manufacturing. A dedicated resource in the region will enable us to grow local manufacturing and promote intra-African trade, ultimately contributing to competitive automotive value chains that supply both vehicle assemblers and the aftermarket,” she added.

Sàadaoui’s appointment is regarded as pivotal in unlocking complementary manufacturing and trade opportunities across the region. This will be achieved by aligning North Africa’s strengths with the goals of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). He will also work closely with the AAAM Policy team to facilitate structural enablers for these opportunities and support partnerships between existing OEM component manufacturers and new market entrants.

AAAM continues to foster collaboration across the continent through auto industry study tours, encouraging knowledge exchange and new business ventures. Backhaus-Jerling emphasized that scaling up R&D capabilities in North Africa – and extending this to other AfCFTA-aligned countries – remains key to driving regional growth.

“Cooperation and coordination with associations, business chambers, political institutions, and regulatory authorities, along with strong engagement with members and donors, will be central to Akrem’s role,” she said.

Commenting on his appointment, Sàadaoui said: “I am delighted to join AAAM. I am passionate about creating value through strategic transformation and sustainable growth. I look forward to combining visionary leadership with pragmatic execution to support AAAM’s mission in this dynamic and evolving landscape.”

Prior to joining AAAM, Sàadaoui served as Global HR Development and Business Performance Director at SEGULA Technologies, where he led high-impact international projects and supported operations for leading global brands including Jaguar Land Rover, TotalEnergies, SEAT, Volkswagen and Indra. He has also been with DRÄXLMAIER Group where he contributed to operations across five plants and the Tunisia Hub.

He holds a Master’s degree in Automation, Robotics and Data Processing (Science of Engineering) from the École Nationale d’Ingénieurs de Carthage (ENICarthage).