Brand appoints new CEO

Jaime Cohen, the incoming chief executive officer of Mercedes-Benz Australia and Mercedes-Benz New Zealand, will be drawing on a diverse background as a senior executive across key markets for the brand.

The 59-year-old takes over from Florian Seidler following a five-year tenure as CEO of Mercedes-Benz Mexico, where he also held the role of head of sales and marketing with responsibility for Latin America and the Caribbean.

Cohen, pictured, says: “Every new market brings exciting opportunities but, above all, I feel privileged to be working in such an important and successful region for Mercedes-Benz.

“I’m sure I will draw on my background across diverse markets from North, South and Latin America, as well as in Europe.

“Although I’ve only just arrived, my key priority is to tap into the great work the teams in Mercedes-Benz Australia and New Zealand are doing, and utilise my experience across the wider business to identify opportunities to take that to yet another level.”

Born in Mexico and holding dual Mexican and US citizenship, Cohen has more than 35 consecutive years of service with the company.

Before heading up Mercedes-Benz Mexico from 2019-24, he held the dual roles of CEO and managing director of commercial vehicles for Daimler Colombia between 2017 and 2019. From 2015-17, Cohen was MD of Daimler Truck sales and services for Latin America.

His extensive CV includes senior sales and distribution roles at Daimler Trucks North America from 2010-15, and managing roles in commercial sales, dealer development and network management, bus, truck and export sales, and sales planning.