Cars

CEO Maier leads Mercedes into new stage

By Li Fangfang (China Daily)
Updated: 2010-12-20 10:28

The A-Class is the latest "young" Mercedes-Benz model.

BEIJING - Klaus Maier, president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz (China) Ltd, is satisfied with his company's fruitful and far-beat-expectation achievements in China in 2010.

"Mercedes-Benz continued to develop at a dynamic pace, with a 119 percent growth for the first 11 months to deliver almost 129,500 units," said Maier.

Since taking this position in 2007, Maier has led his China group to increase the German luxury brand's annual sales in the nation from almost 20,000 units in 2006 to 140,000 units this year. As Mercedes-Benz is the fastest growing luxury brand in China for three consecutive years, Maier is confident to sell 300,000 cars until 2015 in the country.

Klaus Maier, President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz (China) Ltd

His efforts and achievements were highly recognized by being awarded the Executive of the Year and People of the Year by influential Chinese media National Business Daily and Guangzhou Daily respectively.

The prizes once again prove Maier's outstanding leadership, management, performance and influence in China's prosperous automotive industry, as he has bear the palms of People of the Year since 2007 for several times, and Best Executive in China for two years.

Being the car inventor with the longest history, Mercedes-Benz was courageous to build a Young Mercedes image on basis of a long-term icon of "Big Benz" in China.

The German premium car provider completes its whole product lineup in China with the launch of its youngest model A-Class in November, successfully establishing a diversified brand image catering to varied demands of local customers.

According to the company, its Young Mercedes models have contributed 40 percent of its total sales in China, indicating a huge success of Maier's innovative strategy.

Through his Young Mercedes strategy with more affordable models, Maier also makes the three-pointed star attainable for more Chinese consumers, with a diversified and dynamic image.

Moreover, to get further closer to Chinese customers, Maier helped establish three regional headquarters in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou this year, for demands in North China, East China and South China.

Related readings:  Mercedes completes lineup in China with 'young' models  Mercedes: Fastest-growing sales in premium segment  Mercedes-Benz sales in China up 177% in June  Daimler sees China as its No 1 market

In line with the company's booming sales, Maier also put heavy efforts to expand Mercedes' dealership network, with its high and strict global service standard. It will have 166 dealerships by the end of the year and will add 25 to 30 dealers into its national network every year in the future. Maier was in charge of network development at Daimler headquarters in Germany before he came to China.

On November 26, when Maier paid a visit to Mercedes' 4S store in Zhuji, a county in Zhejiang province, he said that Mercedes will go to more second and third-tier cities in the future to further tap the potential of the Chinese market.

Localization is another achievement Maier has made during his tenure. This year, he appoints three Chinese talents to be the vice-presidents of Mercedes-Benz China, in charge of sales, marketing and public relations issues, indicating his respect to local talent.

Having been living in China for almost four years, Maier tried to understand China market and Chinese people through his daily life. One employee from Mercedes-Benz (China) Ltd said: "Mr Maier loves to participate in Mercedes' everything in China, communicating with colleagues, dealers, customers and media."

"One must deeply understand the market and customer first, then do a good job in China," said Maier.