Norbert Reithofer, a former BMW SA plant director and the current chairman of the Rosslyn-based manufacturer, will replace Helmut Panke as the chairman of BMW’s Board of Management.
Norbert Reithofer, a former BMW SA plant director and the current chairman of the Rosslyn-based manufacturer, will replace Helmut Panke as the chairman of BMW’s Board of Management.
BMW AG supervisory board chairman Joachim Milberg said on Thursday its members had made “a number of decisions that would shape the management of the BMW Group in the long term”.
Most significantly, Dr Reithofer (50) would replace Helmut Panke as chairman of BMW AG’s board of management on September 1. Frank-Peter Arndt (50) was appointed to the board of management as Reithofer’s successor with responsibility for Production. Arndt is currently head of BMW’s Dingolfing plant.
In addition, the supervisory board appointed Klaus Draeger (49) to the BMW AG board of management with effect from November 1. At that date, Dr Draeger – who is currently director of the development department for the BMW 5, 6 and 7 Series – will take over responsibility for the manufacturer’s research, development and purchasing from Burkhard Göschel (60).
After the meeting, Prof Milberg said: “Both the supervisory board and the company as a whole express their highest gratitude and genuine appreciation to Dr Panke for all the successful work he has carried out for the company.”
Dr Panke has been with the BMW Group for 24 years, a member of the board of management since 1996 and chairman of the board of management since May 2002.
Dr Reithofer joined BMW AG in 1987 and has been a member of its board of management since 2000. Before that he was head of the Rosslyn plant and head of the Spartanburg plant in the USA.