Marti Eulberg relishes challenge of leading further growth for the Trident
On June 2nd Marti Eulberg began as President and CEO of Maserati North America. She was kind enough to sit down with Maserati Monthly during her first week and help us introduce her to the family of Maserati owners and enthusiasts.Marti has lived in California for the past few years – a perfect place to tap into the leading edge of American car culture.
When you have a chance to meet her, and she intends to get to know every Maserati owner and enthusiast, the first thing you will notice is her infectious enthusiasm for the Maserati brand; a sports car lover, Marti and Maserati are a natural fit.Marti has a strong background in the automotive industry.
She has worked at BMW, Volvo, and most recently Jaguar, where she was Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing, where she helped launch a new model that industry observers are predicting will bring back the company. Coming off that kind of success, we asked Marti what drew her to Maserati. It is the product, specifically the performance and style: “Maserati builds beautiful cars. My impression has always been one of beauty and style.”
Marti makes it clear she will hit the ground running at Maserati: “I am really looking forward to getting out and meeting all the dealers, finding out how they feel about where we are and what they need. The same would apply to prospects and customers. The great thing about Maserati is that the size of the network and customer base allows for this kind of one-to-one interaction.”Even before her official start date Maserati provided her with a Quattroporte to drive in California, so we asked Marti about her impressions of the car. “The ride of the QP allows for the enjoyment of sports car characteristics and sound, while still enjoying the comfort and space of a luxury sedan. Also, its looks – it turns heads everywhere you go!”
The car just makes people smile she says, but she does get some surprised reactions when people ask her about the car: “People I encounter are surprised by the price- they think that Maseratis are much higher priced cars. This is good and bad because it is great that people would think that Maseratis are priced higher, but it also may mean that we might not get the opportunity to introduce ourselves because people think the price may be out of their reach.”
But being President and CEO of Maserati North America is about more than just cruising in a Quattroporte. Marti is very forthcoming in regard to her leadership style: “I truly enjoy working as a team and being very approachable. The inclusive environment where everyone plays provides the best ideas and results. This also promotes the fact that everyone is responsible and their input is valued, from HQ to the field to the dealers.”
Maserati has just completed one of the most successful years in its history and remains very strong in a difficult market. Marti plans to build on the current success firstly by learning what has created it and what will build on it. “In our business product is king. It is very early on -- 5 days into the job -- to provide an in-depth strategy but I do know that product cadence is critical. As a team we will develop what I call, ‘deal breakers’- things we have to have to run our business, ‘nice to haves’- the next level of priority, and finally a ‘wish list’- longer term strategy that is necessary but not critical for today.
Typically the challenge in working for global companies is finding the balance that works for everyone. My objective will be to take care of the North American market and that needs to be balanced against the global priorities so everyone wins.”Marti plans to drop in on as many Maserati events as she can – and she may literally “drop in” as she enjoys skydiving on occasion in her spare time! She is looking forward to meeting the entire Maserati family in North America and building on the brand’s success. Be sure to say hi and introduce yourself when you see her at an event, and wish her well as she drives Maserati North America towards even greater success.