Mercedes-Benz India appoints Roland Folger as MD and CEO

Outgoing MD, Eberhard Kern, will move to Europe in a new role.

Mercedes-Benz has appointed Roland S Folger as the managing director and CEO of its India operations. He will take charge from October 1, and will replace Eberhard Kern who is to assume a new role in the European market.

Roland Folger has been with Mercedes-Benz for over three decades. After holding several positions in the sales departments of Mercedes-Benz passenger cars and commercial vehicles for the SEA region, he was appointed vice president for sales, marketing and after-sales at MBUSI in Tuscaloosa. In 2006, he joined Mercedes-Benz Vans division as head of product management and marketing communication and, two years later, took over the responsibility for the worldwide sales of vans in September 2008. He currently holds the position president & CEO, Mercedes-Benz Malaysia.

On his appointment, Folger says, "I have worked across various countries and cultures, but have always been fascinated with India as a nation. India's rich cultural diversity, combined with its status as a rising economic power, makes it one of the most interesting markets to grow the business today. I feel extremely privileged to head the operations in India, which is an emerging luxury car market in which Mercedes-Benz is the fastest growing luxury automotive brand. With my experience across business divisions, I look forward to pursue the 'India story' further and make the foundation of Mercedes-Benz even stronger in this dynamic country."

Kern, managing director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India, comments, "It was an enriching and a humbling 'India experience' for me. After heading India operations for three years, I can confidently state that in my entire three decades of Daimler career, the stint in India remains the most memorable one. It is very satisfying to see the immense growth of Mercedes-Benz in India as our sales volumes nearly doubled from 2012 to 2015. I am confident that the brand will scale new heights with the able leadership of Roland."

Under the leadership of Kern, during the past three years, Mercedes-Benz India has expanded production capacity, as well as its network and product portfolio. In 2014, Mercedes-Benz India also crossed the five digit sales number.