Daimler’s New CEO Is a Quiet, Race Car-Loving Swede
- Ola Kallenius will be first non-German to lead Daimler
- Trained in finance, Kallenius bucks trend for engineers at top
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When Daimler Chief Executive Officer Dieter Zetsche unveiled the carmaker’s flagship EQC electric vehicle in an idyllic countryside setting outside Stockholm earlier this month, he drew attention to the “guy from Sweden on our board.”
The spotlight on Ola Kallenius is now growing bigger with the 49-year-old anointed to step into Zetsche’s shoes starting next year. For Daimler, it’s a new era after 12 years led by the 65-year-old known for his showman flair. It’s also a move outside the Mercedes-Benz maker’s comfort zone, naming not only a non-German but also a non-engineer who studied finance and management.