Mercedes Benz South Africa has appointed its first South African-born chief executive officer. From March 1, Arno van der Merwe will take over from current CEO Dr Martin Zimmermann who returns to DAG Stuttgart offices as head of global service and parts for the Mercedes-Benz and smart brands. Van der Merwe will retain his current role as vice president manufacturing at the MBSA production plant, in addition to his responsibilities as CEO of the company. He was only the second South African to head up the plant in East London in 2012, and will be the first CEO of South African birth to lead MBSA.
