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Ola Kaellenius Could Follow Dieter Zetsche as the Next CEO of Daimler AG

If a treatment for ageing were to be invented tomorrow, its first customer would be Daimler AG, looking to prolong Dieter Zetsche’s stay as the company’s CEO.
Ola Kaellenius 1 photo
Photo: Mercedes-Benz
Thanks to its main brand, Mercedes-Benz, the recent years have been the best in Daimler’s history regarding sales, but also the way the company is perceived. After playing the elegance and refinement card for a very long time, Mercedes-Benz’s image was getting a bit dusted, while the average age of its customers was going up.

The signal for a recovery came with the launch of the new A-Class hatchback in 2012, marking a radical change in the brand’s exterior design. A similar revolution followed on the inside with the current S-Class, mimicked by the other models that came after it. Right now, Mercedes-Benz sits in a very strong position having moved into the second place within the premium segment in terms of sales and looking like a very strong favorite to move into the lead next year.

It’s only natural that the company would be worried about who will succeed Dieter Zetsche after the current CEO retires. Such a decision requires careful planning and since Zetsche’s contract, which expires in 2016, is going to be extended for three more years, that’s exactly what Daimler is doing.

But according to German publication Manager-Magazin, the name of the man most likely to take Zetsche’s place isn’t a secret anymore. They say that 46-year-old Swede Ola Källenius has been chosen as the right man to take over from Zetsche (62 years of age now) once his contract ends.

Despite adapting very well to the onslaught of new technology, the supervisory board is looking to rejuvenate the company’s management in an attempt to maintain its upper hand and continue on the path towards electrification and autonomous cars.

Ola Källenius is currently occupying the position of Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing & Sales Manager and he’s also a member of Daimler AG’s Board of Management since the beginning of this year.

In the past, though, he’s taken various positions within the company, including Vice President, President and CEO of Mercedes-AMG, various managing positions in the company’s US branch, and even Senior Manager for Engine Emission Management and Electrical Engine Components back in 2000. In other words, his expertise is both vast and varied, which makes him a very apt candidate for the position opening up in 2019.
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About the author: Vlad Mitrache
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"Boy meets car, boy loves car, boy gets journalism degree and starts job writing and editing at a car magazine" - 5/5. (Vlad Mitrache if he was a movie)
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