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BMW Taps Production Chief Milan Nedeljković as CEO Effective May 2026

The operations-focused insider is tasked with scaling Neue Klasse electric models to restore growth in a tougher China market.

Overview

  • BMW's supervisory board appointed Nedeljković to succeed Oliver Zipse on May 14, 2026, with a contract running through 2031.
  • Zipse will leave the management board after 35 years at the company following an age-limit exception into 2026, and he is expected to join Airbus' board, according to prior statements.
  • Nedeljković has led global production since 2019 and built his career across Oxford, Leipzig and Munich plants, bringing deep factory expertise to the top job.
  • The transition aligns with BMW's rollout of the all‑electric Neue Klasse and a broader plan for roughly 40 new or updated models by the end of 2027.
  • The mandate centers on accelerating EV scale as BMW contends with weaker traction in China and US tariffs, with battery vehicles at 18% of global sales in the first nine months of 2025.