Canon South Africa names Tunca Rodoplu as Country Director

SOUTH AFRICA – Canon South Africa has appointed Tunca Rodoplu as Country Director, effective 1 July 2026, tasking the former B2B Sales & Marketing Director with leading growth across the Canon portfolio as David Preston retires after a 38-year career.

Rodoplu brings extensive regional experience to the role, having held senior positions across Canon EMEA. 

Most recently, as Canon South Africa’s Sales & Marketing Director for B2B, he led commercial strategy and built customer relationships across sub-Saharan Africa for integrated printing solutions. 

He will now drive Canon’s growth by strengthening partner networks and direct sales channels, expanding digital production printing and imaging solutions while capturing a larger share of the office printing market. 

He will also champion Canon’s Kyosei philosophy, helping customers boost efficiency, reduce their environmental footprint, and adopt circular economy practices.

A Leadership Transition After Nearly Four Decades

Preston joined Canon in 1988 and held several senior roles before being appointed Managing Country Director of Canon South Africa in 2020. 

During his six years leading the business, he grew market share across key categories and modernised core operations. 

Guided by Canon’s Kyosei philosophy, living and working together for the common good, he oversaw the company’s achievement of a Level 3 B-BBEE rating and launched social initiatives including the Canon Young People Programme and the Miraisha Programme. 

He retires on 30 June 2026.

Rodoplu’s Mandate: Growth, Sustainability, and Circularity

Rodoplu stated that the company’s ambition is to grow Canon’s presence in Southern Africa by working closely with partners and customers to deliver integrated solutions that create real business value. 

At the same time, Canon remains committed to helping organisations operate more sustainably by reducing their environmental impact, fully aligned with Canon’s Kyosei philosophy. 

Canon South Africa’s portfolio includes production print systems, office multifunction devices, large-format printers, and imaging solutions. 

The office printing market has seen declining volumes as digital workflows replace paper, but margins on managed print services remain attractive.

The South African Market Context

South Africa’s print market has faced pressure from load-shedding, which disrupts production schedules and increases operating costs for printers running backup generators.

Canon South Africa achieved a Level 3 B-BBEE rating under Preston, a credential that matters for public sector tenders and corporate procurement where transformation is a scoring criterion. 

Rodoplu’s experience across sub-Saharan Africa positions him to understand the logistics of serving customers in neighbouring countries.

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