JorgenOlesen_MazdaJorgen Olesen, Mazda Motor Europe’s vice president of customer service and logistic (pictured), will retire from the company at the end of March this year. Olesen was with the carmaker for 18 years.

“We thank Jorgen for his years of service to Mazda,” said Jeff Guyton, president and CEO of Mazda Motor Europe (MME). “Among numerous accomplishments, he was instrumental in the creation of our European logistics network, the development of e-Motive and Digital Service Record, and in pioneering the use of the trans-Siberian railroad for delivering cars from Japan to points west in Russia.

We will miss him and we wish him and his family all the very best for the coming years in his retirement.”

Olesen’s responsibilities for parts supply and logistics will now be handled by Alex Janssens, MME’s chief information officer, who is based in Willebroek, Belgium.

Christine Plasmans will assume responsibility for the vehicle logistics operations that Olesen oversaw in the Mazda Logistics Europe (MLE) division. Plasmans currently heads finance and accounting in that division.

Dirk Weiss, who is currently director of customer service, European Technical Support, will assume all of Olesen’s responsibilities in Leverkusen, including leading the Customer Service, Quality Assurance and Accessory Development departments.

With reference to Plasmans and Weiss, Guyton said: “These appointments are well deserved, as Christine and Dirk are very capable professionals and have been key contributors to our business over the course of their significant careers at Mazda.”