Daimler Reassigns Chief of Smart Minicar Unit

Katrin Adt, who took over as head of Daimler AG’s struggling Smart city car brand last October, will lead the carmaker’s new Mercedes-Benz Cars Own Retail Europe unit.

Adt will begin her new assignment on July 1. Her immediate role will be to help restructure and integrate the German and European parts of the Own Retail sales network.

In March, Adt helped lead Daimler’s effort to sell 50% of Smart to Zhejiang Geely Holding Group Co. The deal reflects the determination of Ola Kallenius, who will succeed Dieter Zetsche as CEO of Daimler this month, to resolve the chronic losses posted by Smart over its 21-year history.

On Monday, Daimler announced it will phase out Smart’s all-electric ForTwo two-seater in North America this summer due to poor sales.