Daimler HeadLights Podcast with Ola Källenius: Background on the new Mercedes-Benz strategy

STUTTGART, Germany, Nov. 9, 2020 -- How does Ola Källenius want to refocus Mercedes-Benz AG strategically? And how does he intend to reconcile luxury, electrification and digitization with Swabian cost discipline? That is what the CEO of Daimler AG and Mercedes-Benz AG, Ola Källenius, talks about in the current episode of the Daimler HeadLights podcast.

He explains in detail how Mercedes-Benz intends to build the "world's most desirable cars", which advancements in electrification and software are contributing to the brand promise, and what is behind the "moonshot project" Vision EQXX.

He describes how Mercedes-Benz AG wants to achieve a double-digit margin and what structural changes are necessary to accomplish this goal. The top manager also explains what customers can expect from the announced MB.OS operating system and why sustainability is a fundamental part of the brand promise:

"Mercedes-Benz is a luxury brand. In line with this, we strive for growth in areas in which we have the greatest chances of making profits and where our brand promise is best suited to what customers expect of us. At the same time, luxury is not something that stands still. Nowadays, sustainability is a must for a modern luxury brand like Mercedes-Benz. We have decided to focus entirely on all-electric vehicles. The ultimate goal is CO2 neutrality."

In the podcast, Ola Källenius also gives some personal insights, talks about his role as CEO, his views on good management – and he reveals what a piece of bread has to do with a particularly special luxury experience.

Find the entire podcast here on Daimler's corporate website:
https://www.daimler.com/career/about-us/insights/podcast/02-03-ola-kaellenius-mercedes-benz-strategy.html

And of course, this podcast is also available on all other common podcast platforms – as well as all other episodes of our HeadLights podcast series.

Daimler at a glance
Daimler AG is one of the world's most successful automotive companies. With its Mercedes-Benz Cars & Vans, Daimler Trucks & Buses and Daimler Mobility divisions, the Group is one of the leading global suppliers of premium cars and one of the world's largest manufacturer of commercial vehicles. Daimler Mobility offers financing, leasing, fleet management, investments, credit card and insurance brokerage as well as innovative mobility services. The company founders, Gottlieb Daimler and Carl Benz, made history by inventing the automobile in 1886. As a pioneer of automotive engineering, Daimler sees shaping the future of mobility in a safe and sustainable way as both a motivation and obligation. The company's focus therefore remains on innovative and green technologies as well as on safe and superior vehicles that both captivate and inspire. Daimler continues to invest systematically in the development of efficient powertrains – from high-tech combustion engines and hybrid vehicles to all-electric powertrains with battery or fuel cell – with the goal of making locally emission-free driving possible in the long term. The company's efforts are also focused on the intelligent connectivity of its vehicles, autonomous driving and new mobility concepts. Daimler regards it as its aspiration and obligation to live up to its responsibility to society and the environment. Daimler sells its vehicles and services in nearly every country of the world and has production facilities in Europe, North and South America, Asia and Africa. In addition to Mercedes-Benz, the world's most valuable premium automotive brand (source: Interbrand study, 17 Oct. 2019), and Mercedes-AMG, Mercedes-Maybach and Mercedes me, its brand portfolio includes smart, EQ, Freightliner, Western Star, BharatBenz, FUSO, Setra and Thomas Built Buses as well as the brands of Daimler Mobility: Mercedes-Benz Bank, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services and Daimler Truck Financial. The company is listed on the Frankfurt and Stuttgart stock exchanges (ticker symbol DAI). In 2019, the Group had a workforce of around 298,700 and sold 3.3 million vehicles. Group revenues amounted to €172.7 billion and Group EBIT to €4.3 billion.

SOURCE Daimler North America - Corporate Communications