- Milan Nedeljković’s Extensive Experience at BMW
- Oliver Zipse’s Impact on BMW’s Future
- BMW’s Strategy with Its New Leader
BMWUAE BMWEgypt BMWOman BMWBahrain BMWKuwait BMWQatar BMWKSA BMW is entering a new chapter in its history following the surprise announcement of Milan Nedeljković as the new CEO, taking over from Oliver Zipse in May 2026. This leadership shift marks a pivotal moment expected to shape the company’s direction and strategy, especially as competition intensifies in the electric vehicle sector. The decision reflects BMW’s deep trust in Nedeljković’s ability to lead the company through a major transformation in the global automotive market.
Milan Nedeljković’s Extensive Experience at BMW
Milan Nedeljković stands out as one of BMW’s most prominent leaders, having started his journey with the company in 1993. Over the past three decades, he worked across key production sites such as Oxford, Leipzig, and Munich, gaining in depth knowledge of the brand’s manufacturing and production systems. Nedeljković led the quality division before joining the board in 2019, and now steps up to the highest executive role with a contract running through 2031.
Key highlights of Nedeljković’s career include:
Extensive production experience at various BMW plants
Former head of quality management
Board member since 2019
Recognized for cost control and operational discipline
Proven ability to lead multicultural, multi expertise teams
This background gives Nedeljković a significant advantage as BMW faces major technical and manufacturing changes ahead.
Oliver Zipse’s Impact on BMW’s Future
Oliver Zipse spent nearly 35 years at BMW, leading the company through several major global challenges that shaped the automotive industry. Some of the key milestones under his leadership include:
Navigating the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic
Managing worldwide supply chain crises
Overseeing the beginning of BMW’s major shift to electric vehicles
Launching the ambitious Neue Klasse EV project
Cementing large scale investments in next generation automotive technologies
Zipse laid the foundation for BMW’s electric future by initiating the Neue Klasse project, which is now at the core of the brand’s ambitions. This platform will serve as the base for at least six new electric models, starting with the next generation iX3.
BMW’s Strategy with Its New Leader
Appointing Nedeljković as CEO sends a clear message: BMW is prioritizing manufacturing and operational excellence to address the next era’s challenges. This marks a shift from the traditional focus on leaders with backgrounds in sales or product planning, as the company now bets on a figure with deep expertise in production, cost control, and operational efficiency.
The main pillars of BMW’s strategy with its new CEO include:
Advancing the Neue Klasse EV platform
Launching six all new electric vehicles
Accelerating precision manufacturing processes
Optimizing costs and improving operational efficiency
Supporting innovation while maintaining BMW’s renowned quality
Chairman of the Supervisory Board, Nicolas Peter, emphasized Nedeljković’s strategic vision, entrepreneurial mindset, and strong resource management as essential traits for BMW’s continued success. These qualities are expected to help BMW remain competitive in the global race for electric vehicle leadership.
With Nedeljković at the helm, BMW embarks on a new era where deep manufacturing expertise meets the demands of the modern automotive world, ensuring the German brand’s leadership in the luxury car market.
