Luxury carmaker Mercedes-Benz India will be getting Santosh Iyer as its first Indian Managing Director &CEO with effect from January 1, 2023.
Santosh Iyer, 46, is presently the Vice-President of Sales & Marketing and is associated with Mercedes- Benz India since 2009.
The incumbent Martin Schwenk will be assuming the responsibility as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Mercedes-Benz Thailand.
Schwenk had played a key role in preparing the carmaker for future transition of automotive industry strengthening the Mercedes- Benz India’s position by achieving the highest market share in the luxury car segment.
"I will personally remember India for the warmth and generosity of the people, our partners and customers. It is truly a dynamic market with immense potential and offers opportunities, making my stint enriching and rewarding. The strong brand loyalty and leadership of Mercedes-Benz in India is remarkable and inspires our customer centricity and customer commitment," said Martin Managing Director & CEO, Mercedes-Benz India.
Santosh Iyer is a graduate in commerce from Mumbai University and a MBA from University of Indianapolis and holds a Masters in Corporate Governance and Compliance from the University of Lake Konstanz, Germany. In 2016, Iyer took up the responsibility as Vice-President, Customer Services & Retail Training business and has played a key role in the turnaround of the Customer Services business, implementation of new initiatives like MB Tyres, Parts Trading and setting up the Mercedes-Benz Academy. In 2019, Iyer took the over as the Vice-President, Sales & Marketing, leading Mercedes-Benz’s digital transformation of the business and achieving the highest ever-online sales penetration.
“I am extremely excited with the new responsibility and the opportunity to lead the most desirable luxury car brand in India. Mercedes-Benz is at the cusp of transitioning to an exciting, electrified future and it is a privilege for me to steer the brand, introduce emerging trends and continue to define new benchmarks for our customers. We have a fantastic winning team comprising our colleagues and Franchise Partners with proven records, and I am eager to continue this winning story," said Santosh Iyer.