Sebastian Birkel has been appointed as group CEO at Europcar, succeeding Olivier Baldassari, who is currently acting as interim CEO following the departure of Alain Favey.
Birkel will take up his new role from May 1, while Baldassari will remain chief operating officer at Europcar Mobility Group.
Birkel, says Europcar Mobility Group, made a name for himself through his successful reorganisation of Sixt's North American business.
There he led the operational development and turnaround of the region for five years - more than three of them as CEO.
Under his leadership, the Sixt brand was successfully established in a highly competitive market and grew profitably.
After his time in North America, Birkel took over responsibility for global vehicle purchasing as well as group accounting and controlling as a divisional board member at Sixt.
Most recently, he was CEO of Profection Group, an international personnel and property services provider with more than 30,000 employees.
He began his career in 2007 at Roland Berger, where he provided strategic support to companies undergoing restructuring.
Dr Christian Dahlheim, chairman of the supervisory board of Europcar Mobility Group and CEO at Volkswagen Financial Services AG, said: “We are delighted to have gained an experienced leader for Europcar Mobility Group in Sebastian Birkel.
“In view of the current challenges, he brings with him the ideal mix of operational strength, strategic vision and international experience.
“With his expertise, he will lead Europcar Mobility Group on a sustainable growth path.”
Birkel added: “I'm looking forward to joining an historical player of this industry, which is also one of the largest mobility services providers in Europe today.
“As the entire industry is currently facing strong headwinds, my priority will be to steer the Group through this period, but also to build on our strengths for a sustainable future, hand in hand with our teams.”
From May 1, the management board of Europcar Mobility Group will consist of Sebastian Birkel as Group CEO, Joachim Hinz as the new chief financial officer who is joining from Seat, with 25 years of experience at international level in the automotive and mobility industry, and Baldassari, as chief operating officer.
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Gareth has more than 20 years’ experience as a journalist having started his career in local newspapers in the 1990s. Prior to joining Fleet News in 2008, he worked in the public sector as a media advisor and is currently news editor at Fleet News.
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