Daimler strengthens its customer focus

STUTTGART, Germany, Sept. 3, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

• More focus on customers and markets as a further element in implementing the growth strategies
• Direct sales responsibility of the divisions to make processes faster and more flexible
• Cross-divisional functions will also be consistently focused on the divisions
• Dieter Zetsche: "After the successful start of our product offensives for cars and commercial vehicles, we are now taking the next strategic step to achieve our growth targets. With the new structure we are getting even closer to our customers."

Daimler AG is increasing its focus on customers and markets to ensure the sustained implementation of growth in all its divisions. Therefore the Board of Management of the Stuttgart automobile manufacturer has decided to strengthen the organization of its divisions. "We want to keep our fingers on the pulse of the market," stated Dr. Dieter Zetsche, Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG: "After the successful start of our product offensives for cars and commercial vehicles, we are now taking the next strategic step to achieve our growth targets with the further development of our structures."

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The Group's five divisions – Mercedes-Benz Cars, Daimler Trucks, Mercedes-Benz Vans, Daimler Buses and Daimler Financial Services – will be strengthened. Responsibility for the main sales functions and the important sales markets will be directly anchored in each division. Cross-divisional functions at the country level will be streamlined. The functional Board of Management areas will retain their responsibilities, but in organizational terms will be focused on the requirements of the divisions. Daimler will implement this new structure as quickly as possible. The tasks and personnel composition of the Daimler Board of Management will remain unchanged.

Due to increasingly diverse customer needs, more and more importance is now placed on the ability to precisely meet customers' needs in each individual market. With the new structure, Daimler is creating ideal conditions to do so: "We will reduce complexity, become faster and more flexible, and will give our divisions comprehensive responsibility to manage their business efficiently and farsightedly. This is not primarily a matter of cost advantages, but of more direct customer relations and of course of increasing our unit sales. In this way, we will strengthen the entire Daimler Group," emphasized Zetsche.

The current executive committees of Mercedes-Benz Cars and Daimler Trucks will become separate divisional boards. The divisional board of Mercedes-Benz Cars will be comprised of Dr. Dieter Zetsche (Chairman), Dr. Thomas Weber (Development), Andreas Renschler (Production & Procurement), Dr. Joachim Schmidt / Ola Kaellenius (until September 30, 2013 / from October 1, 2013; Sales & Marketing) and Frank Lindenberg (Finance & Controlling). The divisional board of Daimler Trucks will be comprised of Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard (Chairman), Martin Daum (Trucks NAFTA – Freightliner, Western Star, TBB), Dr. Albert Kirchmann (Trucks Asia – FUSO, Bharat Benz), Stefan Buchner (Trucks Europe and Latin America – Mercedes-Benz), Dr. Frank Reintjes (Powertrain & Production Engineering), Sven Ennerst (Product Engineering & Procurement) and Matthias Gruendler (Finance & Controlling).

Further information from Daimler is available at:
www.media.daimler.com  and www.daimler.com

This document contains forward-looking statements that reflect our current views about future events. The words "anticipate," "assume," "believe," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "project," "should" and similar expressions are used to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are subject to many risks and uncertainties, including an adverse development of global economic conditions, in particular a decline of demand in our most important markets; a worsening of the sovereign-debt crisis in the euro zone; a deterioration of our funding possibilities on the credit and financial markets; events of force majeure including natural disasters, acts of terrorism, political unrest, industrial accidents and their effects on our sales, purchasing, production or financial services activities; changes in currency exchange rates; a shift in consumer preference towards smaller, lower margin vehicles; or a possible lack of acceptance of our products or services which limits our ability to achieve prices as well as to adequately utilize our production capacities; price increases in fuel or raw materials; disruption of production due to shortages of materials, labor strikes, or supplier insolvencies; a decline in resale prices of used vehicles; the effective implementation of cost-reduction and efficiency-optimization measures; the business outlook of companies in which we hold a significant equity interest; the successful implementation of strategic cooperations and joint ventures; changes in laws, regulations and government policies, particularly those relating to vehicle emissions, fuel economy and safety; the resolution of pending governmental investigations and the conclusion of pending or threatened future legal proceedings; and other risks and uncertainties, some of which we describe under the heading "Risk Report" in Daimler's most recent Annual Report. If any of these risks and uncertainties materialize, or if the assumptions underlying any of our forward-looking statements prove incorrect, then our actual results may be materially different from those we express or imply by such statements. We do not intend or assume any obligation to update these forward-looking statements. Any forward-looking statement speaks only as of the date on which it is made.

About Daimler 
Daimler AG is one of the world's most successful automotive companies. With its divisions Mercedes-Benz Cars, Daimler Trucks, Mercedes-Benz Vans, Daimler Buses and Daimler Financial Services, the Daimler Group is one of the biggest producers of premium cars and the world's biggest manufacturer of commercial vehicles with a global reach. Daimler Financial Services provides financing, leasing, fleet management, insurance and innovative mobility services. The company's founders, Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz, made history with the invention of the automobile in the year 1886. As a pioneer of automotive engineering, Daimler continues to shape the future of mobility today: The Group's focus is on innovative and green technologies as well as on safe and superior automobiles that appeal to and fascinate its customers. For many years now, Daimler has been investing continually in the development of alternative drive systems with the goal of making emission-free driving possible in the long term. So in addition to vehicles with hybrid drive, Daimler now has the broadest range of locally emission-free electric vehicles powered by batteries and fuel cells. This is just one example of how Daimler willingly accepts the challenge of meeting its responsibility towards society and the environment. Daimler sells its vehicles and services in nearly all the countries of the world and has production facilities on five continents. Its current brand portfolio includes, in addition to the world's most valuable premium automotive brand, Mercedes-Benz, the brands smart, Freightliner, Western Star, BharatBenz, Fuso, Setra and Thomas Built Buses. The company is listed on the stock exchanges of Frankfurt and Stuttgart (stock exchange symbol DAI). In 2012, the Group sold 2.2 million vehicles and employed a workforce of 275,000 people; revenue totaled €114.3 billion and EBIT amounted to €8.6 billion. 

SOURCE Daimler Corporate Communications