Mercedes-Benz CTO Markus Schäfer (60), who has had a successful 30 year career with the Stuttgart-headquartered German carmaker, will leave the company on the conclusion of his current contract ending 30 November 2025:
Changes to the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz Group AG.
September 24, 2025 – The Supervisory Board of Mercedes-Benz Group AG has decided to appoint Michael Schiebe – currently CEO of Mercedes-AMG GmbH and Head of the Top End Vehicle (TEV) Group – to succeed Jörg Burzer as Member of the Board of Management responsible for Production, Quality & Supply Chain Management.
As of 1 December 2025, Jörg Burzer will then take over responsibility for the Board Division of Development & Procurement and the role of Chief Technology Officer from Markus Schäfer, who will retire from the company at the conclusion of his contract after more than 30 highly successful years.
With these personnel decisions, the
Supervisory Board of Mercedes-Benz Group AG is consistently pursuing its strategy of maintaining experience and continuity in top management while providing fresh impetus and a deliberate rejuvenation on the Board of Management. The objective is to further accelerate the company’s transformation with a clear focus on customer benefit, technological excellence and operational efficiency.
The upcoming change in the CTO position stands for renewal in times of transformation and dynamic market challenges. Building on the recent successes of its product initiatives, Mercedes-Benz thereby strengthens an agile, efficient and innovative vehicle development. The company thus creates room for new ideas and creative approaches, while sustainably consolidating the innovative strength of both organization and products.
Martin Brudermüller, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Mercedes-Benz Group AG
“Two outstanding managers from our own ranks, Jörg Burzer and Michael Schiebe, are taking over key divisions that are of decisive importance for the future success of Mercedes-Benz Group. In recent years, Jörg Burzer has taken vehicle production at Mercedes-Benz to a new level with vision, consistency and a clear focus on innovation, flexibility and efficiency. His impressive strength in execution and his ability to combine technological developments with industrial realization make him the ideal choice to lead and further develop Development & Procurement. Michael Schiebe brings more than 20 years of highly varied experience at Mercedes-Benz, which he will apply to leading and continuously enhancing the division of Production, Quality & Supply Chain Management. Most recently at Mercedes-AMG, he has demonstrated how he combines strategic thinking and decisive action with operational excellence to great effect. We expect further improvements in our competitiveness through even closer cooperation between Production and Development.
With Markus Schäfer we say farewell to a highly esteemed colleague, who commands the highest respect both internally and externally. As the architect of our technology strategy, he has been instrumental in driving Mercedes-Benz’s transformation from a traditional car manufacturer to the electrification of our portfolio and the integration of digital systems. The current product offensive clearly bears his signature. His commitment to technological excellence and his deep connection to the Mercedes-Benz brand are reflected not only in his long-standing service to the company but also in his role as Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Mercedes-Benz Grand Prix Ltd. On behalf of the entire Supervisory Board, I thank Markus Schäfer for his outstanding achievements and wish him every possible success for the future.”
Jörg Burzer has been a Member of the Board of Management of Mercedes-Benz AG since 2019 and of Mercedes-Benz Group AG since December 2021. He is currently responsible for Production, Quality & Supply Chain Management. In this role, he oversees the global production network with more than 30 sites for vehicles, powertrains and batteries, as well as worldwide logistics processes. Previously, he held various international leadership positions within the company. He began his career at the former DaimlerChrysler AG in 1999 after completing his degree in engineering (Diplom-Ingenieur) at the University of Erlangen-Nuremberg and earning a doctorate (Dr-Ing.).
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Jörg Burzer.
Michael Schiebe has been CEO of Mercedes-AMG GmbH and Head of the Top End Vehicle (TEV) Group since March 2023. He has been with the company since 2004, starting his career in the area of Strategic Product Projects at the former Daimler AG, later moving into Controlling and Marketing & Sales. Among other roles, he served as President & CEO of Mercedes-Benz Luxembourg S.A. and subsequently headed Mercedes-Benz Passenger Car Sales in Germany. From 2020 to 2023, he reported directly to CEO Ola Källenius as Chief of Staff and Head of Corporate Office Mercedes-Benz Group AG.
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Michael Schiebe.
Markus Schäfer has been a Member of the Board of Management since May 2019. He has been responsible for Development & Procurement and has served as CTO since December 2021. In this capacity, he has been responsible for the holistic development process of Mercedes-Benz Cars as well as Procurement. Schäfer began his career in 1990 through the international management associate programme. Over the following decades, he held numerous leadership roles in Germany and abroad, including Plant Manager in Egypt, President & CEO of the Mercedes-Benz plant in Tuscaloosa (USA), Head of Production Planning, Divisional Board Member for Mercedes-Benz Cars Production & Supply Chain, and Chief Operating Officer.
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Markus Schäfer.
, sharing the progress they had made and mentioning they were expecting the results in (Northern hemisphere) summer. At the time he concluded his post by saying he would continue to report on this complex and exciting project on LinkedIn.
