The Supervisory Board of Daimler AG on Wednesday elected a new chairman at its constituent meeting following the virtual regular Annual Meeting on the 2020 financial year. Bernd Pischetsrieder succeeds Manfred Bischoff, who is stepping down from the Supervisory Board at his own request after 14 years as chairman.
Bischoff’s departure marks the end of an era. “It is fair to say that Manfred Bischoff has left his mark on a piece of German industrial history. This company is extremely well-positioned for the future, and that is largely thanks to him,” said Ola Källenius in his speech at the virtual Annual Meeting. The Supervisory Board proposed Bernd Pischetsrieder as Bischoff’s successor in December 2020.
After his successful management career, Manfred Bischoff was appointed to the Supervisory Board of DaimlerChrysler, and in 2007, he took over the chairman’s role. He repeatedly helped the company to make groundbreaking strategic decisions, which helped pave the way for the return of the Mercedes-Benz brand to the top of the premium segment. In five decades of change, Bischoff was a pillar of support. To retain his services at the company he will be awarded the title of Honorary Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Daimler AG.
The shareholders elected Elizabeth Centoni, chief strategy officer and general manager of Applications at Cisco Systems, Inc., Ben van Beurden, CEO, Royal Dutch Shell plc, and Martin Brudermüller, chairman of the Board of Executive Directors of BASF SE, to the Supervisory Board by a large majority. They succeed Petraea Heynicke and Jürgen Hambrecht, who also are stepping down from the Supervisory Board along with Bischoff. The term of office of the newly elected members begins at the end of the Annual Meeting in 2021 and expires at the end of the Annual Meeting in 2025.
