Mercedes-Benz UK will have a new president and ceo from 1 April 2011, Marcus Breitschwerdt, currently president and ceo of Mercedes-Benz Canada, takes over from Wilfried Steffen, who is moving to a new role as head of Daimler’s Business Innovation Division in Stuttgart.

Breitschwerdt joined the company in 1991 and has held various senior roles in marketing, planning and sales, including director marketing strategy for Mercedes-Benz Cars. He took up his current position in Mercedes-Benz Canada in 2003.

Under Breitschwerdt’s leadership Mercedes-Benz Canada has more than doubled its sales and market share since 2003. He is credited too with a strong development of the dealer network and with striking results of the company’s own retail division.

Breitschwerdt said: “I’m very excited by the challenges and opportunities of the UK automotive market and delighted to be joining a Mercedes-Benz organisation that has achieved so much in its rich history over so many decades and over the course of the last eight years with Wilfried Steffen at the helm.”

Wilfried Steffen has been president and ceo at Mercedes-Benz UK since 2003. In that time the business has gone from strength to strength. In 2010, the Passenger Car Division registered 75,000 vehicles, an increase of 3.8%. This was the highest volume achieved for three years and resulted in an all time record market share of 3.7%. Also in 2010, the commercial vehicle division achieved its highest market share of 17.4% and a record share of the large van market at 18.3%. The brand now rates consistently highly in its customer service ratings and Mercedes-Benz has just taken number one slot in the Superbrands Consumer Survey.

Steffen said: “It has been a rewarding eight years and I am proud to have worked with such a fantastic group of people, both in MBUK and across our retail network. I am certain that the company will be going strong into the future and will enjoy continued success under Marcus’ leadership.”

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