Middle East Emerges as Global Nerve Centre in Mercedes‑Benz Leadership Shake‑Up

Mercedes‑Benz Cars Middle East has appointed Michael Stroband as its new President and Chief Executive Officer, underlining the region’s growing strategic significance within the global luxury carmaker. Stroband assumes leadership from Martin Schulz, who held the position since February 2021, and will spearhead the brand’s digital transformation, electrification strategy and customer experience improvements across the region and beyond.

Bogged down by intensifying competition and accelerating consumer demand for electric vehicles, Mercedes‑Benz is bolstering its leadership in charge of fast‑growing markets. Stroband brings over 15 years of cross‑functional experience at Mercedes‑Benz and Daimler Trucks, spanning marketing, sales, retail and supply‑chain management. His previous role as Head of Product and Sales Management for Mercedes‑Benz Cars in Germany equips him with a deep understanding of the firm’s core operational frameworks.

In his new role, Stroband will be based in Dubai, overseeing operations not only in the Middle East but also the commercial van networks in Latin America and Southeast Asia. The move signals Mercedes‑Benz’s intention to unify its approach across luxury cars, digitalisation and electrification on a more global level.

Stroband said he anticipates “working alongside the Middle East team … to successfully drive the Mercedes‑Benz strategy forward, while pushing digitalisation to deliver an exceptional and unified customer experience both online and offline.” He emphasised the importance of core technological strengths as leverage to “continue to deliver the world’s most desirable cars that define the luxury mobility of tomorrow”.

This leadership transition dovetails with other talent shifts across the Middle East operation. In June this year, Taniya Chandra, previously Head of Customer Experience in Stuttgart, took over as Head of Marketing and Communications for the region. Her remit spans multiple markets including Central Eastern Europe, Africa, Latin America and Southeast Asia. Chandra’s leadership is seen as part of a broader plan to fuse communications, branding and customer engagement under a more cohesive structure.

Another significant appointment came in April when Mercedes‑Benz India’s Vice‑President of Sales and Marketing, Lance Bennett, was named Chief Financial Officer for Mercedes‑Benz Cars Middle East. Bennett, credited with steering record sales in India—with EVs such as the EQA, EQB and EQS SUV contributing to a near doubling of EV volumes in 2024—will now apply his commercial acumen to the DFMEA region.

These shifts reflect Mercedes‑Benz’s recognition that the Middle East has evolved into a crucial arena for luxury automotive growth, digital transition and electrification. The region’s affinity for high‑end vehicles, adoption of EV infrastructure and high levels of app‑based mobility render it fertile ground for product innovation and customer experience experiments, Mercedes insiders say.

Under Stroband’s direction, the priority areas include deepening EV penetration, embedding digital sales channels and strengthening infrastructure for commercial vans. His responsibility for the General Distributor Network in Latin America and Southeast Asia mirrors a strategic effort to consolidate business transformation across emerging markets – ensuring best practices and digital solutions travel across regions.

Europe‑based automotive analysts underscore that having a regionally based leader with Stroband's global remit signals a marked shift. It imbues the Middle East office with elevated authority to innovate and adapt products, services and digital sales models quickly in response to local consumer demands, compared to prior periods of long delays in such rollouts.

Since Ola Källenius took the helm as global CEO of Mercedes‑Benz Group in 2019, the company has pledged to convert into a software‑driven, electrified mobility brand. His vision centres on MB.OS, a unified car operating system, over‑the‑air updates, and integrated digital customer journeys. The leadership reshuffle in the Middle East fits neatly into this broader strategy, providing regional execution muscles directly responsive to global directives.

Reports indicate that Mercedes‑Benz’s global EV line‑up, including flagship models like the EQS and performance electric offerings under the AMG and Maybach badges, has been gaining traction in the Gulf Cooperation Council markets. Demand continues to grow as governments accelerate EV incentives and invest in charging infrastructure.

Across Latin America and Southeast Asia, commercial van demand is surging, driven by logistics growth and adoption of fleet electrification. Mercedes expects that synchronising this momentum with digital and customer‑centric sales platforms will drive sustainable profitability—an outcome Stroband is tasked to deliver.

Retention of Stroband, Bennett and Chandra draws praise among industry sources. Experts suggest the carmaker’s concentrated focus on regional leadership capacity will sharpen market responsiveness and accelerate digital capabilities—two areas that Mercedes‑Benz views as critical for future competitiveness.