BMW Names New CEO for N. America

BMW AG has appointed Bernhard Kuhnt to take over as CEO of North American operations on March 1.

Kuhnt, 49, has served in BMW’s sales management for nearly 10 years, most recently as head of import markets in more than 80 countries. He will succeed CEO Ludwig Willisch, who is continuing as head of the Americas region. Willisch, 60, had held both posts for the past five years.

Separately, BMW says Petter Witt, its executive vice president of operations in North America, is leaving the company at the end of February. Kuhnt will select a replacement for Witt.

The leadership moves come as BMW falls increasingly behind rival Daimler AG in the U.S. market. Sales there by Daimler’s Mercedes-Benz unit last year rose by only 1,600 units to 374,500 cars and crossovers. In the same period BMW brand sales fell 10% to 313,200, according to Autodata Corp. Last month Mercedes outsold BMW in the US. by 9,500 units (27,600 vehicles to 18,100).