Having joined Volvo CE in 2013 as an apprentice, Ihnatovich has steadily risen through the ranks, taking on a range of commercial roles across Sales Region Europe and Sales Region International. Her experience spans volume planning, pricing strategies and business control, most recently serving as Head of Finance, Sales Region International.
After serving as Acting Head of Sales Region International since January 2026, she took on the role permanently on May 1. She brings strong commercial expertise and a deep understanding of Volvo CE’s international markets, putting her in a strong position to drive profitable growth and strengthen the company’s long-term competitiveness.
Her new remit covers a remarkably diverse geographical footprint, stretching across Africa, the Middle East, Turkey, Eastern Europe, including Ukraine, the CIS markets of Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Georgia, as well as Oceania, including Australia and New Zealand, which are supported by a dedicated Volvo CE team based in Brisbane. Further afield, Cuba is also part of the region.
Key priorities
On the high level, Ihnatovich’s key objective in the region is to be the customer’s first choice, with customer success as a priority. She also aims to maintain a high level of profitability, while contributing to the transformation of the industry.
At the heart of the business in Region International remains Volvo CE’s General Purpose (GP) machine portfolio, particularly articulated dump trucks, excavators and wheel loaders. The major application sectors are construction, heavy infrastructure, mining and quarrying.
According to Ihnatovich, the diversity of the region is one of its defining characteristics – and one of its biggest challenges. There is no one-size-fits-all approach across Region International, with customer requirements varying significantly from one market to another. Against this backdrop, Volvo CE places strong emphasis on bringing the right products and specifications to each market to ensure they meet local customer needs and expectations.
The focus extends beyond the machine itself. Service, aftermarket support and the overall customer solution are becoming increasingly important, particularly as customers demand greater reliability, productivity and value throughout the equipment lifecycle.
A key component of this strategy is the continued development of Volvo CE’s retail network. The company operates across Region International through independent partners, making dealer development a strategic priority.
“We operate only through independent partners and for us it is important to drive the common ambition to the market, so dealer development is a core for us – retail excellence as we call it,” says Ihnatovich.
Africa: opportunity amid rising competition
Within this diverse region, Africa remains particularly important to Volvo CE, contributing significantly to both the topline and bottom-line of the business. The continent, however, presents a complex operating environment. While the market continues to offer strong growth potential, competition is intensifying, particularly as Chinese equipment manufacturers aggressively expand beyond their domestic market.
“We see a lot of opportunity in Africa,” says Ihnatovich. “The market continues to grow, but competition is getting tougher as well. Mining, quarrying and infrastructure development remain key drivers of demand, while customers are increasingly placing emphasis on machine reliability, durability and aftermarket support.”
Volvo CE works with several established independent dealers across the continent. SMT Africa is one of its largest partners, covering 17 markets, particularly across West and Central Africa, while Babcock takes care of eight countries in southern Africa. Other notable partners supporting Volvo CE operations in Africa include Ghabbour in Egypt and Nose in Angola.
For Ihnatovich, the strength of this local network is a critical competitive advantage. “Proximity to the customer – including parts supply, service and technicians – is crucial for us to compete in such a cutthroat trading environment,” she says.
South Africa remains a particularly important market, despite challenges affecting sectors such as smelting and coal mining. The country’s equipment demand is driven largely by articulated dump trucks, excavators and wheel loaders. Elsewhere on the continent, market performance is often closely linked to project activity.
Key trends
One of the trends Ihnatovich is seeing across Africa is a shift towards rental. Customers are increasingly looking at alternative ways of accessing equipment. This creates both a challenge and an opportunity for Volvo CE and its dealer partners.
Another emerging trend is the growing demand for connected fleets and data-driven operations. While digital adoption remains at an early stage, there are already examples demonstrating the potential.
In Africa, Volvo CE has its largest connected-fleet site, with 96 machines linked to performance indicators through Connected Map. The mining operation represents the company’s largest single connected fleet to date and demonstrates that there is an appetite for technology when the value proposition is clear.
Ihnatovich believes the next step is to help customers better understand that value. “There is an appetite for digital technologies from selected customers,” she says. “It is extremely important to visualise the value to the customer. Not all customers understand the value yet.”
The same principle applies to new solutions such as Equipment as a Service (EaaS), Volvo CE’s usage-based model, which allows customers to pay a fixed hourly rate to use machines rather than purchasing or leasing them. Volvo CE plans to introduce the offering in selected African markets, with South Africa expected to be one of the first. Discussions are already underway with selected customers.
For Ihnatovich, rental and EaaS could also provide an important route into new technologies. By reducing the need for customers to make a significant upfront investment, the model could help accelerate the adoption of unfamiliar technologies, including electric equipment.
Gaining momentum
While sustainability adoption in Africa remains relatively limited, Ihnatovich points to Oceania – particularly New Zealand – as a market where the sustainability agenda is gaining significant traction. Interestingly, this is happening even in the absence of government subsidies, with private companies increasingly leading the charge towards electrification.
Volvo CE has already introduced its L120 Electric wheel loader in New Zealand and is now bringing the EC230 Electric excavator to the market. Customers in applications such as waste management and quarrying are among those showing early interest.
Electric haulers are also moving closer to the Region International market. The A30 and A40 Electric articulated haulers are currently being piloted in Europe, with Volvo CE continuing to gather operational data before rolling them out in selected international markets.
The transition to electric equipment, however, requires customers to look beyond the initial purchase price. “The technology will need a different mindset,” says Ihnatovich. “It is not about the initial price, but more about the total cost of ownership over the lifecycle of the machine.”
Positive outlook
Looking ahead, Ihnatovich remains positive about the prospects for Region International. Africa continues to offer significant long-term potential despite intensifying competition, while Turkey remains a large and stable market, supported by ongoing infrastructure projects. The Gulf also continues to present strong opportunities, with major projects in the pipeline despite the current geopolitical tensions.
Ukraine, meanwhile, represents a substantial future opportunity given the scale of rebuilding that will be required. Oceania is also showing signs of a positive recovery, supported by mining and infrastructure activity, although competition remains intense.
Across all these markets, Ihnatovich believes that relevance will be key. “The strategy is to continue to invest and bring the right products and services to the market,” she says.
That strategy will require more than simply supplying machines. Volvo CE is placing increasing emphasis on sales competence, value-based selling and dealer development, with product specialists travelling into markets to strengthen local sales teams’ product knowledge and ability to communicate the value of the equipment.
Financing also remains an important part of Volvo CE’s offering, particularly in markets such as South Africa, where Volvo Financial Services (VFS) already plays a major role. The company is also complementing this with its own financing solutions and a regional trade finance team.
For Region International, the road ahead is therefore one of growth, but also adaptation. From increasingly sophisticated, connected fleets and new service models to electrification and evolving customer expectations, Volvo CE is positioning itself to compete not only on the strength of its machines, but on the wider value it can deliver throughout the customer’s equipment lifecycle.
