GOTHENBURG, Sweden — Volvo Group has reorganized its corporate structure in an effort to better utilize the global potential of its brands and products.

As of Jan. 1, 2012, the sales and marketing of all its truck companies will be organized into three regional organizational units, reporting directly to CEO Olof Persson, the company announced.

Meanwhile, all product development and truck and engine production will be slotted into two new central organizational units, also under watch of CEO Persson.

“We are doing this to achieve a more agile and efficient organization with greater focus on our customers and brands,” Persson explained.

Previously, the organization was divided by truck brand, including Volvo, Renault, Mack and UD Trucks.

The new geographic organizational structure includes: Group Trucks Sales and Marketing Americas; Group Truck Sales and Marketing EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa); and Group Trucks Sales and Marketing APAC (Asia and Pacific regions).

The Americas organization will be headed by current North American Trucks president Denny Slagle.

“The Volvo Group has seen fantastic development in the past decade and has grown into a truly global and leading player, particularly in the areas of heavy trucks, construction equipment and diesel engines,” Persson said. “But a company’s work is never done and it is now time for the next step, using improved coordination between our truck companies and our development and production units to achieve even more distinct and better focus on our customers and brands.”

Volvo also announced the creation of two new positions – head of strategy and chief information officer – which will both report to CEO Persson. Karin Falk was named head of strategy while Magnus Cararlander is the new chief information officer. Both assume their new roles Jan. 1.

Volvo also announced it plans to hire more women as it shakes up its organizational structure.

“At the same time as we will have a rejuvenation of group management, we will also include more women, which is highly gratifying,” Persson said. “I will have an incredibly competent group management team, with good breadth and, collectively, more than 60 years’ experience of serving abroad. I am really looking forward to working with them.”