By Harm Stavast, Commercial Director, Africa, Keyloop
In May, automotive manufacturers, retailers, and partners gathered for Keyloop’s Experience-First event in Sandton, Johannesburg. The day-long event featured insightful presentations and collaborative discussions on current market trends and the industry’s future.
A key highlight of the day was guest speaker Paul-Roux De Kock, Chief Analytics Officer at Lightstone Auto. Paul-Roux shared the latest insights around the impact of affordability on the South African automotive landscape. He highlighted key regional trends such as increased urbanisation, new vehicle sales recovery post-Covid, and sales forecasts for the year ahead.
Meanwhile, James Fernandez, Keyloop’s Chief Revenue Officer, spoke about how Experience-First reflects the new reality of automotive sales – a fundamental shift with customer experience at the forefront, enabled by a connected ecosystem of automotive retail technology.
He explained that the old world is quickly disappearing as waves of change disrupt the industry with profound and sudden impacts. Retailers now operate more than just dealerships; they run experience centres. They’re no longer managing a space constrained by four walls but an ecosystem that blends physical and digital touchpoints.
Centred around Keyloop’s Experience-First ethos, the event aimed to help industry players understand the lay of the land so they can future-ready their businesses. With speakers and attendees sharing generously, everyone left with valuable insights.
Carel Volschenk, CEO of CFAO Mobility, praised the event, saying: “I am walking away feeling that we are strategically aligned with the best people, and I definitely feel that I’ve got the right partner to support my vision and strategy going forward.”
Find out how Experience-First is transforming the automotive retail industry and how you can apply these lessons to your business, by downloading the Keyloop whitepaper here.
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Chinese vehicle manufacturers continued to record significantly stronger growth than established OEM brands in South Africa during the second quarter of 2026, according to TransUnion's Q2 2026 Mobility Report.
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