New CEO must adapt Daimler Truck to weaker market, chairman says
Adds details, background
STUTTGART, Sept 5 (Reuters) -Daimler Truck DTGGe.DE expects a further slowdown in demand for commercial vehicles and its new CEO must take measures to adjust for that, the German company's Chairman Joe Kaeser said on Thursday.
"Our profitability is not yet where competitors are, that has to change in the medium to long term", Kaeser told a press conference after Karin Radstrom was announced as the company's next CEO late on Wednesday.
He did not say what measures Radstrom might need to take.
The truck and bus maker appointed Mercedes-Benz lorry brand head Radstrom as its CEO effective Oct. 1, a little over a month after cutting its revenue guidance and reducing working hours at its German plants due to weak demand in Europe and Asia.
Her predecessor, Martin Daum, will retire as planned, but will remain on the management board until the end of this year.
Daimler Truck faces subdued demand after chips and other parts shortages in the wake of the pandemic pushed up production costs. The industry also faces challenges to reduce pollution from commercial vehicles.
Radstrom, the first woman to take the helm of the world's largest heavy truck producer, comes from Sweden's Södertälje, home to Europe's most profitable truck maker, Volkswagen's VOWG_p.DE Scania, where she spent about 20 years, starting as a marketing trainee. She joined Daimler in 2021.
"I think with Ms. Radstrom we have someone who is extremely customer-focused, who is well-versed ... and knows the industry well thanks to her experience outside the company," Kaeser said.
Reporting by Ilona Wissenbach Writing by Andrey Sychev
Editing by Mark Potter
Related Assets
Latest News
Disclaimer: The XM Group entities provide execution-only service and access to our Online Trading Facility, permitting a person to view and/or use the content available on or via the website, is not intended to change or expand on this, nor does it change or expand on this. Such access and use are always subject to: (i) Terms and Conditions; (ii) Risk Warnings; and (iii) Full Disclaimer. Such content is therefore provided as no more than general information. Particularly, please be aware that the contents of our Online Trading Facility are neither a solicitation, nor an offer to enter any transactions on the financial markets. Trading on any financial market involves a significant level of risk to your capital.
All material published on our Online Trading Facility is intended for educational/informational purposes only, and does not contain – nor should it be considered as containing – financial, investment tax or trading advice and recommendations; or a record of our trading prices; or an offer of, or solicitation for, a transaction in any financial instruments; or unsolicited financial promotions to you.
Any third-party content, as well as content prepared by XM, such as: opinions, news, research, analyses, prices and other information or links to third-party sites contained on this website are provided on an “as-is” basis, as general market commentary, and do not constitute investment advice. To the extent that any content is construed as investment research, you must note and accept that the content was not intended to and has not been prepared in accordance with legal requirements designed to promote the independence of investment research and as such, it would be considered as marketing communication under the relevant laws and regulations. Please ensure that you have read and understood our Notification on Non-Independent Investment. Research and Risk Warning concerning the foregoing information, which can be accessed here.