Business – Éric de Seynes, new president of the motorcycle branch of CSIAM – Occasions YAMAHA

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Éric de Seynes, new president of the motorcycle branch of CSIAM

Business - Éric de Seynes, new president of the motorcycle branch of CSIAM - Occasions YAMAHA

Five months after his arrival at the head of Yamaha Motor France, Éric de Seynes continues to follow in the footsteps of Jean-Claude Olivier: EDS has just been elected president of the Motorcycle branch of CSIAM. Site took the opportunity to interview him.

The Council of the International Automobile and Motorcycle Trade Union (CSIAM) has just elected Eric de Seynes, Managing Director of Yamaha Motor France, as the new President of its "Motorcycle" branch. EDS thus succeeds once again to JCO !

"This appointment comes after the departure of Jean-Claude Olivier, former CEO of Yamaha Motor France, who left his operational functions in February 2010.", recalls the CSIAM of which Thierry Archambault, in post since September 2007, still assumes the functions of permanent delegate president .

Éric de Seynes therefore joins the other members of the CSIAM Bureau, namely Jean-Luc Gerard (president of Ford France and of the "Private Cars" Branch, Jean-Noël Thenault (CEO of Volvo Trucks France and president of the "Vehicles" branch Industriels, Bus et Cars "and Luc Malnoury, technical director of Suzuki France and treasurer of CSIAM.

How does CSIAM work? What will be the consequences of this new presidency? What are Eric de Seynes’ goals after JCO’s? How is the 2011 Motorcycle Show doing? Interview.

Site: What is the role of CSIAM ?
Éric de Seynes, new president of the "Motorcycle" branch : The International Automobile and Motorcycle Union Chamber has two missions. The first is to be the interlocutor of all public authorities – whether French or European at the level of Brussels – when they wish to make changes to the legislative texts which govern the activity of the market for both. motorized wheels. For example: speed limits, restraints, technical controls, safety, changes in anti-pollution or noise standards. In short, everything that can be imagined as being framed by politics but having a purpose and above all an application that can only be done through networks of professionals and manufacturers..

"The CSIAM has two missions: to liaise with the public authorities and to federate the actions of the manufacturers"

The second mission brings together all the voluntary actions that the profession could undertake in order to ensure the promotion of its image, the influence and the development of its markets. We can cite, many years ago, collective campaigns in favor of the use of 125. These are communication actions that benefit all manufacturers. They finance these operations in proportion to their market shares.

It can be noted that in parallel with the CSIAM, two union chambers bring together French manufacturers: the National Motorcycle Union Chamber (CSNM) and the French Automobile Manufacturers Committee (CCFA).

"The president of the Motocycle branch is an expert who supports the CSIAM, and a voice of the manufacturers of motorized two-wheelers"

MNC: What are the responsibilities of the president of the motorcycle branch of the CSIAM ?
EDS: I must mainly remain extremely close to the permanent delegate president, Thierry Archambault, who leads the chamber and works for the benefit of all three branches of the CSIAM. He acts as a daily operator, but when called upon by the public authorities or during meetings dedicated to a particular theme, he is assisted by the president of the branch. The latter therefore has an expert role, endorses and supports the quality of the debate that can take place with the government or other ministerial bodies. It is necessary to ensure the relevant vision of the market, the application of such and such a decision. We are there as a backup, we must be available, know how to answer specific questions within two hours.

We also have activity-based meetings during which the representatives of the manufacturers debate and where the president of the branch concerned must be the spokesperson, the bearer of the conclusions of the debate. In this case, I no longer represent Yamaha but the entire market: I may therefore have to defend a position that is not that of my brand, but it does not matter..

"I may have to defend a position that is not that of my brand"

MNC: Do you have to be number one in motorcycle sales in France to get this job ?
EDS: No, I do not think so. It turns out that in the past, Jean-Claude Olivier had this responsibility but it was linked to a historical dimension since at the start, the Chambre Syndicale de la Moto – before being within the CSIAM – did not have permanent president: Jean-Claude became one at that time, in the 1970s. When we joined the CSIAM, under the chairmanship of Philippe Sion, Jean-Claude remained in the motorized two-wheeler branch..

For his replacement, several of us went to this kind of primary election organized between us (a representative of a European brand and that of another Japanese brand were also in the running, Editor’s note). The fact that I represent a manufacturer who is involved in the moped, 125, non-approved motorcycle and generalist motorcycle markets allows Thierry Archambault to have someone benefiting from the credit of all forms of the market. motorized two-wheeler. But in three years, it may very well be someone else. In any case, whoever the president is, we know how to show solidarity because it is at the stakes of the profession..

"We all regret the suspension of the Paris Motorcycle Show"

MNC: The Paris Motorcycle Show, scheduled for November or December 2011, will be later but also shorter than past editions of the Mondial. What do Eric de Seynes the new president of CSIAM think, Eric de Seynes the GM of Yamaha and Eric de Seynes the simple biker? ?
EDS: Undoubtedly, the profession and the manufacturers in particular regret this suspension from the Paris Motorcycle Show. We are all extremely motivated and willing to restart a show that once again allows the entire market to be able to speak at least once every two years. Secondly, this break has surely made it possible to develop ideas and to ensure that in the project at hand, we can move towards a format that is indeed rather shorter, more economical and more unifying for all stakeholders. , since many of us insist on the idea that manufacturers do not organize the show on their own and that it is very important that props, equipment manufacturers, the media, event organizers, etc. find their marks in this new salon format.

"Organizing the show in November or December is good!"

As President of CSIAM, I therefore retain this strong collective momentum. At the level of Yamaha Motor France, I think it is absolutely essential to find an event that gives influence to the profession and to the brands. Finally as a simple biker, I think the options we are working on at the moment are the right ones. We are working on a better timing in terms of calendar than that of September previously, towards months that are a little more wintery. This is good, because it lets the commercial season go to an end and it allows us to redirect attention to our sector in a slower period. In September, we still drive a lot, the late seasons are still very active. Finding a date in the months of November or December while avoiding Christmas will surely be fairer in terms of seasonality, availability from professional actors and interest on the part of clients. So we really project ourselves into the coming season.

"Paris must show humility against Milan"

In addition, it is important that Paris take into account the calendar and what Milan represents: today, a large part of Italian and even European manufacturers favor the revelation of new products in Milan. We must have the humility to consider that Paris arrives after Milan, which will allow us to present all the novelties of the coming season. It is about being credible in our initiatives. Likewise, reducing the duration is essential if we want to bring together all the players. Coming to Paris for a long time is too expensive because it is not only the price of the square meter, there is also the cost of operating a stand and all the logistics. We must be vigilant at this level and place ourselves in a price that allows everyone to be able to join the event..

Once again, I hope that these years of hiatus will not have been useless and will allow the show to find a brand that is fair in the state of our environment, the current market situation..

"Everything is not 100% tied for the 2011 Paris Motor Show, but we are getting closer"

MNC: When will the new directions be announced ?
EDS: You will be officially notified before the end of the year. It will be up to Thierry Archambault to announce him as president of the CSIAM. We are working, everything is not yet fully 100% tied up, but we are getting closer !

"The other files of the CSIAM: they are numerous!"

MNC: What are the other hot issues to manage in the coming months ?
EDS: There is a succession of files. At the moment, we have contacts on the application of conformity control or technical control for mopeds, it is an important subject. We are also on the European driving license directive which must come into force by January 2013 but where each government of the member states must give its final position in January 2011. Yes, there are a certain number of very regulatory files on which we are in contact with the ACEM (Association of European Motorcycle Manufacturers) led by Jacques Compagne, and the government of course.

There are also other files that are less visible or less exciting for bikers, but which are very important to us, in particular that of the SIV (Vehicle registration system) and its updates to allow, for example, the ” registration of motorcycle schools, MTT1s compared to MTT2s, in short, adjustments that eliminate a lot of time wasted and therefore money and human resources for our networks.

A lot of work, therefore, which requires integrity. Until recently, I defended the approval and access of B Permits to MP3 LT … I do not have an MP3, I am not Piaggio, but it is a challenge for the profession to defend this access. !

"MP3 is an interesting alternative"

MNC: When will a Yamaha MP3 come in? ?
EDS: Right now ! No, we’ll see. The Tmax and the Xmax defend themselves very well, but it is true that we are looking at it closely anyway because it is an interesting alternative.

MNC: To conclude, when will you unveil the new Yamaha 2011 products? ?
EDS: This will be done over time, knowing that the FZ8 and the Super Tenere are 2011 models. They arrived in 2010, of course, but they appear in our product development plan as 2011 vintages. We have therefore already revealed some of the novelties! Industrially, we will have to accept – a bit like the automobile industry did before us – that the model years are no longer as precise as before. We presented the new stuff in October, we brought it into the network between December and February, and then nothing happened for ten months. It is true that in motorcycles, there remains a fairly strong seasonality, although the effect is smooth on some machines. As for the scooter, we can very well release a new model in July, May or October, it will not shock anyone. We are in a rhythm of revelation of new things which is no longer necessarily as rigid as before.

Interview by Matthieu BRETILLE

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