On 20 March 2024 the AIC and Wharton Alumni Club of Switzerland who co-hosted the event, hosted a speakers luncheon featuring Mr. Alexandre de Senarclens, President of the Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS).
Mr. de Senarclens gave a presentation on the recent GIMS, which had taken place a few weeks earlier (26 February to 3 March 2024) and represented the first time it had been held since 2019 due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
The key statistics for this year's Geneva Auto Salon were 37 exhibitors, over 167'000 visitors and 1'975 journalists.
A key takeaway from his presentation is the auto industry is transforming at a rapid pace with shared mobility and electrification as major trends. This transformation explains why the industry now considers selling miles as a more relevant metric for success than selling vehicles. Moreover, customer preferences are evolving with emotional experiences associated with driving becoming more important than simply relying on vehicles as a mode of transportation.
Mr. de Senarclens also spoke about the success of the inaugural GIMS Qatar 2023 that was held 5-14 October 2023 in Doha and featured 30 automotive brands. The audience also appreciated his detailed answers and openness during the Q&A session following the presentation.
Article by Phillip Sundquist, AIC President