Mercedes-Benz appoints Roland S. Folger as the Managing Director and CEO for India; Eberhard Kern to move to a new role in Europe
Pune– Mercedes-Benz today appointed Roland S. Folger as the Managing Director and CEO of its India operations. Roland S. Folger will replace Eberhard Kern who will assume a new role for the European market.
Under the leadership of Eberhard Kern during the past three years, the growth strategy of Mercedes-Benz India has been enhanced including the expansion of the production capacity, as well as a significant extension of the network and the product portfolio. In 2014, Mercedes-Benz India achieved sales history by crossing the five digit sales number. After six years, Mercedes-Benz today leads the luxury car market in India and also holds numero uno position in terms of CSI score and impeccable brand equity in the luxury car segment in India.
Eberhard Kern, Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India commented, “It was an enriching and a humbling ‘India experience’ for me. After heading India operations for three years, I can confidently state that in my entire three decades of Daimler career, the stint in India remains the most memorable one. The diversity of people, their culture and the unique business opportunity and challenges that India posed is enormous and one of its kind. It is very satisfying to see the immense growth of Mercedes-Benz in India as our sales volumes nearly doubled from 2012 to 2015. I am confident that the brand will scale new heights with the able leadership of Roland. Europe would be a different market altogether, and my India experience would be quite handy. I appreciate all the invaluable support that I received from my colleagues in Mercedes-Benz India and also would like to thank our dealer partners who are the best and the most professional in the business.”
Roland Folger, currently the President & CEO of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia stated, “I have worked across various countries and cultures but have always been fascinated with India as a nation. India’s rich cultural diversity, its people, their varied customs, different languages, diverse topography combined with its status as a rising economic power, makes it one of the most interesting markets to grow the business today. I feel extremely privileged to head the operations in India, which is an emerging luxury car market in which Mercedes-Benz is the fastest growing luxury automotive brand. With my experience across business divisions I look forward to pursue the ‘India story’ further and make the foundation of Mercedes-Benz even stronger in this dynamic country. We have one of the finest teams and dealer partners on-board with us and I am eager to be part of it.”
Roland Folger who will take the new responsibility of heading Mercedes-Benz India from 1st October, 2015, is also a Mercedes-Benz veteran for over three decades. After holding several positions in Sales departments for Mercedes-Benz Passenger Cars and Commercial Vehicles with responsibility for the SEA region, he was appointed Vice President for Sales, Marketing and After Sales at MBUSI in Tuscaloosa, where Mr. Folger was part of the pioneering team that introduced the first M-Class in the USA.
In 2006, he joined Mercedes-Benz Vans division as Head of Product Management and Marketing Communication and two years later took over the responsibility for worldwide Sales Vans in September 2008. Effective March 1st, 2011, Mr. Folger was appointed President & CEO of Mercedes-Benz Malaysia.
