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em>Courtesy of PT Volvo IndonesiaTen years ago, when Pierre-Jean Vergé Salamon left Europe with his wife and children to settle in Asia, not many might have understood their way of thinking.

But Asia has been just one of the many stops in the life of 39-year-old “PJ”, who was born in Canada, raised in southwestern France, and has lived and worked on several continents.

“Throughout history you learn that to know where you’re going, you need to know where you come from,” said PJ, who was appointed managing director of PT Volvo Indonesia in January, after a three-year stint as sales and marketing director for Volvo Trucks, Renault Trucks and UD Trucks Indonesia.

He believes his eclectic background helps in directing a company that is as diverse as the country it operates in.

The Volvo Group, with its long-standing history as makers of cars, trucks and other heavy equipment, comprises two major business areas, Volvo Cars and Volvo Trucks, the first belonging to Chinese motor manufacturer Geely Automobile and the latter retained by the group’s original headquarters in Sweden.

The group’s truck division acquired Renault Trucks in 2002 and Japanese UD Trucks five years ago, and the two sister companies and their products are also represented here through PT Volvo Indonesia.

The combination of people of many nationalities working for a Swedish company in Indonesia makes for “a good mayonnaise” in PJ’s opinion.

“Just like Pancasila was established to unify Indonesia’s diverse peoples and cultures, Volvo Indonesia — a sum of Swedish, French and Japanese corporate cultures — is also united in the Volvo way. This means we work with energy, passion and respect for the individual to achieve a synthesis to benefit our customers.”

PJ reckons that one of the key success factors to being an expatriate is this: “You are not Indonesian and you will never be Indonesian, but you can at least understand the language and culture and know what makes a difference.”

He also believes Volvo Group’s presence in Indonesia is based on a trusting relationship with customers and partners as opposed to just selling commodities.

Currently, two global Volvo Group programs are being run nationwide. The first, Fuel Watch, is a competition aimed at educating truck drivers on maximizing fuel consumption.

“Research suggests that 40 percent of the running cost of a machine is related to its driver, so improving driving techniques should help reduce fuel consumption up to 10 percent and lower fuel costs as well as CO2 emissions,” he explained.

Another Volvo Group initiative, Vista, is a world championship for mechanics from Volvo dealers and partners. Held biannually, the tournament has teams of four to five mechanics solve and repair simulated cases to represent their geographic region.

PJ is proud to point out that last year, Indonesia’s team of mechanics won the Asian finals for Vista, beating crews from advanced industrial nations such as Japan and Australia. This sort of achievement meant a lot to PJ and the company, as one of his objectives was to export some people out of Indonesia, “increasing the exposure of Indonesia within the Volvo company”.

PJ further admitted being amazed by the lack of knowledge of Indonesia in the outside world: “Granted, international exposure of Indonesia came pretty recently when everything became open 10 to 15 years ago, but it’s a moving very fast. Jakarta itself is a constant construction site.”

Taking an example from the total truck market in Indonesia, over four years time, the size of the market has more than doubled, from 55,000 units sold five years ago to 120,000 units last year alone. Within the Volvo Group itself, PT Volvo Indonesia was only established six months ago and has since grown to a team of about 70 people.

“Everyone is focusing on China or India; but Indonesia is the biggest country in Southeast Asia, both by population and potential,” PJ said.

Having been based in Thailand for Volvo Group before moving to Indonesia in 2008, PJ was surprised to find Indonesia to be more internationally exposed than its Southeast Asian neighbors.

“Business-wise, Indonesia is more internationally open – hanging around in English, for example, is not a problem here. It is overall a gifted country with a young, talented population, and once it takes off I think it will not stop.”

And so, when not captaining his ship or becoming “Indonesia’s salesman in front of Volvo’s top management”, PJ maintains a passion for following and playing rugby.

According to him, unlike in the UK where rugby is considered a middle-class sport, French rugby has a rural background and the spirit of the game resonates very well with his personal and business values.

“The foundation of rugby lies in the team spirit and in fighting together for a common goal. It’s a tough game and people may get injured, but ultimately it’s a team game which requires humility on the part of each player.”

It’s the parallel between his work, life philosophy and hobby that prompts PJ not only to believe that everything is connected, but that he should also leave a lasting legacy in the position he’s been given.

“When I think about it, there are a lot of similarities in managing a company and a country, in addressing diversity and reaching the consensus. Unlike myself, who is only here for a certain period of time, most people I work with will stay and in the end it’s their company,” PJ mused.

He added: “For sure we’re all very different. As a team, however, we strive to achieve common goals and go the extra mile together. My task, ultimately, is to set the guidelines to unify that diversity.”