Senior leaders from Abdul Latif Jameel and Toyota gathered recently in Beijing to discuss the road ahead in one of the world’s most competitive automotive markets, reaffirming a partnership that now stretches back almost three decades in China.
The meeting was attended by Mohammed Jameel KBE, chairman of Abdul Latif Jameel, and Tatsuro Ueda, chief executive officer for Toyota’s China region and chairman of Toyota Motor (China) Investment Co., Ltd., along with Fady Jameel, vice chairman, international, of Abdul Latif Jameel, Jasmmine Wong, chief executive officer of Jameel Motors, and Yousef Hussein, chief commercial officer of Jameel Motors. The gathering provided an opportunity to reflect on nearly 30 years of collaboration in China and to align on future plans for one of the most consequential automotive markets in the world.
Jameel Motors currently operates in six locations across China through the distribution and retail of Toyota and Lexus vehicles, guided by a “guest first” customer philosophy that has underpinned its performance in the market since it first established operations there.
How Jameel Motors Built a Foothold in China
Jameel Motors’ history in China began in November 1998 with the opening of a Toyota Authorized Service Station in Chengdu — a single facility staffed initially with technicians who had previously worked in the company’s Saudi Arabia operations, carrying with them the standards and values that had made Abdul Latif Jameel Motors a recognized name across the Middle East and North Africa.
From that first site, the business expanded steadily. A second location opened in Qingdao in 2000 and a third in Wuhan in 2002. A turning point came when Toyota Motor Corporation and First Auto Works signed an agreement in Beijing in 2002 to establish a long-term cooperative relationship, forming a 50:50 joint venture — FAW-Toyota Marketing and Sales, known as FTMS — to drive the distribution and sale of Toyota passenger vehicles across China. Jameel Motors seized the opportunity to convert its existing service stations into full 4S dealerships, covering sales, service, spare parts and survey, and has since built out its network to include locations in Leshan, Yinchuan and Lanzhou, a Lexus dealership in Wuhan and an additional site in Chengdu.
The strategy throughout has been consistent: a deliberate focus on Toyota and Lexus only, even as approaches from other major manufacturers have come and gone. That commitment has earned a reputation for reliability that Toyota’s joint venture partners have recognized repeatedly over the years.
A Track Record of Recognition
At the most recent FTMS annual dealer conference in Chengdu, Jameel Motors China was named Outstanding Dealer Group for 2024 — the highest accolade FTMS awards — for the second consecutive year. Selected from more than 100 dealer groups, the recognition covered performance across vehicle, parts and service sales, financial results and customer satisfaction.
The 2024 award was accompanied by seven additional honors, including Silver Dealer Awards, Outstanding Customer Operation Dealer Awards for the Chengdu and Qingdao branches, and individual recognition for branch managers and service staff at both locations.
That level of recognition reflects an internal culture built on continuous improvement. By the end of 2023, the China operation had completed more than 1,300 kaizen improvement activities involving more than 4,000 staff engagements — a figure that speaks to how deeply the philosophy is embedded in day-to-day operations.
The Chairman and the Partnership Behind the Business
Abdul Latif Jameel’s relationship with Toyota dates to 1955, when the late Abdul Latif Jameel, founder of the business and father of current chairman Mohammed Abdul Latif Jameel, KBE, became the authorized Toyota distributor for Saudi Arabia. That original agreement marked the beginning of what has grown into a partnership of more than 70 years.
Navigating a Fast-Moving Market
China’s automotive market has grown more demanding in recent years, with a surge in domestic new energy vehicle manufacturers placing additional competitive pressure on established brands including Toyota. Many of the newer NEV entrants have moved quickly on design and technology, compressing product cycles and raising consumer expectations at pace.
Jameel Motors’ response has been to deepen its investment in customer experience rather than chase volume. The “guest first” philosophy — a company-wide standard that applies from how associates greet customers at the entrance to how service advisers follow up after a sale — has been the consistent differentiator in a market where product differentiation is increasingly difficult.
The Beijing gathering signaled that both parties see the collaboration continuing to grow. With a foundation of nearly 30 years in the country, Jameel Motors and Toyota enter 2026 with a shared record of performance and a clear intent to build on it.