For the 46-year-old Eric Leblanc, who has recently taken charge of Volvo's India operations as its Managing Director, the road ahead is to ensure a smooth cruise. In a country, where travelling long distances by road was considered a torturous exercise, this Swedish vehicle manufacturer almost redefined the core aspects of travel - luxury, comfort and safety and that should make it easy for Leblanc to get into overdrive. Leblanc succeeds Ulf Nordqvist, who has returned to Volvo in Sweden to take up position in the head office of Volvo Truck Corporation.

In his 15 years of association with Volvo, Leblanc has brought in vast experience and expertise of working in developing markets. He landed up in India from Volvo Morocco, where he was serving as the Managing Director since 2002, responsible for the truck, bus and construction equipment divisions of Volvo. Prior to his tenure in Morocco, Leblanc was with Volvo Trucks, South America as the Chief Financial Officer of Volvo do Brasil, from 2000 to 2002. He also served as the Deputy Head of Volvo Construction Equipment, South America and was based in Brazil.

An MBA in Business Administration from the University of Brussels, Belgium, Leblanc is a Belgian by birth. He is married and has two daughters. Considering the mass acceptance of Volvo coaches among the touring Indian populace, Eric Leblanc's prime challenge would be to further strengthen brand 'Volvo'. A company that has progressed fast on the growth track-sales grew at 69 percent in 2004 to reach Rs 600 crore-Leblanc's drive through the commercial vehicle market appears comfortable.

In fact, Leblanc would have to steer a company that has already been making operating profits for the last one year. Volvo India has started exporting trucks to South Korea, but the domestic market will continue to be Leblanc's priority. Leblanc nonetheless would look at expanding Volvo India's export base further. For a company that has capitalised on the first mover advantage in the country, Volvo India seems to have got its strategy right. It's for Leblanc now to step on the gas!