Dietmar ExlerUS – Taking over from Stephen Cannon, who is leaving the company, Dietmar Exler, will become president and CEO of MBUSA and NAFTA, effective January 1. Cannon will remain as a consultant to MBUSA until the end of that month.

“Dietmar's appointment is central to reinforcing our strategy and our standards around the world, and will continue to strengthen the ties and collaboration within our marketing and sales network,” said Ola Kaellenius, member of the board of management at Daimler AG, Mercedes-Benz Cars Marketing and Sales.

In his new role, Exler will bear overall responsibility for Mercedes-Benz passenger cars and the smart brand in the US and NAFTA, leading the approximately 1,500 employees at MBUSA and 1,240 in Canada and Mexico, plus 373 dealers across the US.

Exler began his career at McKinsey and Co in 1997, firstly in Germany and then in the US. Five years later, he joined DaimlerChrysler Financial as senior manager of programme development, and was promoted to vice-president of marketing in the same year. He became vice-president of customer services in 2004 before transferring to Germany the following year as chief operating officer at Daimler Financial Services Europe and member of the board at Mercedes-Benz Bank.

Exler returned to the US in 2010 to become vice-president for Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA.

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