Ola Källenius (picture) will become the new CEO of Mercedes-Benz Cars in 2019. He will succeed Dr Dieter Zetsche, who will be proposed becoming the new Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Daimler.



In 2021 the mandate of Dr. Manfred Bischoff as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Daimler will come to an end. In a press release the company confirms that Mr Bischoff will recommend the election of Dieter Zetsche (65) as his successor as Chairman of the Supervisory Board, taking effect at the end of the Annual Shareholders’ Meeting in 2021.

In order to comply with the two-year cooling-off period (between 2019 and 2021), Dieter Zetsche will step down from his position in the Board of Management of Daimler and as Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars at the end of the Annual Shareholders’ Meeting in 2019. Dr Zetsche has been successfully managing Mercedes-Benz Cars for the previous 12 years.



The Supervisory Board of Daimler decided to appoint Ola Källenius (49) for a new term of five years as Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler, effective in direct connection, and also to appoint him as the Head of the Mercedes-Benz Cars division. Commenting on the nomination of Ola Källenius by the Supervisory Board, Dieter Zetsche said: “In various positions at Daimler, Ola Källenius has earned not only my respect, but also the recognition of his colleagues in very diverse areas. At the same time, he contributes a valuable international perspective. I therefore very much welcome the fact that the Supervisory Board has made this forward-looking personnel decision.” Ola Källenius started his career at Mercedes-Benz in 1995 a Manager Corporate Controlling at Mercedes-Benz U.S. International. He held several executive functions, entered the Board of Management in 2015 and is responsible for Group Research and Mercedes-Benz Cars Development since January 1, 2017.

Markus Schäfer has been appointed as the successor of Ola Källenius with responsibility for R&D in the Board of Management of Daimler.

Copyright: Daimler AG