Mercedes-Benz Australia Pacific has appointed a brand new CEO.
Jaime Cohen succeeds Florian Seidler as the pinnacle of Mercedes-Benz’s Australian operations, and arrives amid a gross sales drop for its passenger vehicles division for the reason that transfer to a fixed-price company mannequin in 2022.
Mr Cohen is a Mercedes-Benz veteran, becoming a member of the model in 1987 and subsequently working in numerous roles for each the passenger autos division and its vans arm throughout the Americas and Germany. He has lately accomplished a five-year stint as CEO of the carmaker’s Mexican division.
“Each new market brings thrilling alternatives however above all, I really feel privileged to be working in such an vital and profitable area for Mercedes-Benz,” Mr Cohen mentioned in a media assertion.
“I’m certain I’ll draw on my background throughout numerous markets from North, South and Latin America, in addition to in Europe.
“Although I’ve solely simply arrived, my key precedence is to faucet into the nice work that the groups in each Mercedes-Benz Australia and New Zealand are already doing and utilise my expertise throughout the broader enterprise to establish alternatives to take that to one more degree.”
In the meantime, Mr Seidler will take up the position of head of gross sales operations for Mercedes-Benz Vehicles Europe and Sensible, following a three-year tenure as the pinnacle honcho in Australia.
Although his predecessor, Horst von Sanden, was the manager who put the model’s plan to maneuver to a fixed-price company mannequin in place, Mr Seidler oversaw the transition which got here into impact in January 2022.
The transfer to the company mannequin resulted in Mercedes-Benz taking possession of dealership inventory, whereas eradicating the flexibility for purchasers and dealership workers to barter on costs – a change which sellers claimed would drive up costs of recent fashions.
The model’s Australian gross sales have subsequently lowered year-on-year, with its passenger car and van divisions combining for 33,034 deliveries in 2021, 31,281 in 2022, and 28,853 in 2023.
The carmaker’s transfer to the company mannequin grew to become the main target of authorized motion from its former sellers, with 38 of its 50 ex-franchisees taking Mercedes-Benz Australia Pacific to the Federal Courtroom in quest of compensation.
In August 2023, Federal Courtroom decide Jonathan Seashore dismissed their request.
The group of sellers filed its enchantment in opposition to the choice in February, nevertheless this enchantment is but to be heard.
MORE: Mercedes-Benz Australia wins landmark courtroom case in opposition to its dealersMORE: Australian Mercedes-Benz sellers enchantment Federal Courtroom’s ruling on company mannequin
