As managing director of Volvo Cars for both Malaysia and Thailand, Chris Wailes embodies the rare executive who successfully straddles two distinct markets, while maintaining the Swedish brand’s core values. With more than 30 years at Volvo, Wailes has traversed the globe—from the UK to Sweden, and from China to now Southeast Asia—bringing with him a deep-rooted passion for the brand that began in his childhood.

His leadership philosophy mirrors Volvo’s 98-year-old ethos that “everything starts and ends with people”, a principle that guides both his professional approach and the brand’s evolution toward sustainability. Between overseeing operations across two culturally distinct countries and championing Volvo’s electric future, Wailes still finds time for his personal passion: cooking from scratch. 

You’ve worked for Volvo for more than 30 years. What first drew you to the brand?

I remember, when I was a child, my parents drove Volvo cars. I still remember our 240 estate—the colour, what it looked like inside, even how heavy the rear tailgate was when you lifted it down. When I realised that I wanted to go into the automotive industry, there was only ever going to be one brand.

How do you manage operations across both Thailand and Malaysia, given their distinct business environments?

I think what has worked for me is that I divide my time equally between these markets. Both Thailand and Malaysia are important to us, so I feel that the people in the two markets deserves equal amounts of time.

From a business perspective, there are a lot of best practices that can be shared between both countries and that gives us an opportunity to synergise. For example, recently, Malaysia developed a great process for people training that has now been implemented in Thailand. Similarly, there are things we do well in Thailand that can be implemented in Malaysia.

It’s quite beneficial because we use it as a learning point. At the end of the day, none of us are perfect, but we can use the opportunity to learn from each other, which is what we do quite successfully.

Volvo has strong associations with health and sports through activities such as padel and hosting family day event. How does this connect to Volvo’s brand identity?

We see these initiatives as a way to embody Volvo’s core values of fostering connections and promoting well-being. For example, our annual padel championship is more than just a sporting event—it’s a social platform that brings people together in a fun and inclusive environment. What I particularly appreciate is how it’s open to everyone, not just Volvo owners, reflecting our ethos of accessibility and transparency. These activities also align with our commitment to sustainability and encourage an active lifestyle, which resonates with both current and future customers. It’s about creating meaningful experiences that go beyond the car, building a deeper connection with our community.

With your busy schedule managing two countries, how do you personally unwind?

I find that cooking is a great way to relax. I’m a self-taught cook and I like to make things from scratch, buying ingredients, and chopping everything myself, rather than using pre-made products. I can cook Thai, Chinese, and Western food. I particularly enjoy preparing Thai fish dishes and Sichuan crispy chili chicken. I stumbled across this hobby by accident one day and I found it to be quite relaxing. I’ve been doing it ever since.

The company is transitioning to a fully electric future. How is that progressing in Southeast Asia?

We are fully committed to being a full electric car company, but customers in different countries move at different rates. In Thailand, more than 80 per cent of what Volvo sold last year was fully electric, while in Malaysia it was 30 per cent. Some customers aren’t quite ready to make that leap, from internal combustion engines to full electric cars, which is where plug-in hybrids come in as a stepping stone. Our job isn’t to shoehorn people into what they must drive—it’s to respect their wishes while helping educate them by letting them try something new.