Starting March 1, Atak Talas will lead Allison Transmission’s Asia Pacific Sales team as the Executive Director of Asia Pacific Sales. Based in Japan, he will oversee the execution of strategic growth goals and the launch of new product initiatives.
Brian Geiselhart has left the position to repatriate back to the United States for a new role focused on Allison’s licensing and partnership initiatives. Geiselhart had held the role since 2022.
Talas has spent 14 years at Allison Transmission in a range of cross-functional roles. His most recent appointment came in 2024 as Managing Director of East Asia Sales, where he oversaw sales and strategy in Japan, Korea and Australia.
Prior to joining Allison, Talas served as a research and development engineer at Daimler.
“Atak’s promotion recognises his ability to develop strong customer relationships, drive growth, and lead teams, along with his technical skills and strong business acumen”, Vice President of APAC, EMEA, and South America Sales Heidi K. Schutte says.
“He is well-equipped to build on the success the team has delivered under Brian’s leadership, whom we thank for his efforts and dedication to the role”.
Allison Transmission operates in over 150 countries, with regional headquarters in China, Brazil, and the Netherlands, and its main headquarters in Indianapolis, USA. The company has about 1,600 independent dealer and distributor locations globally.