Skip to main content
C
CorpDigest
Search

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG

AutomotiveFounded 1916
Reviewed by Swet Parvadiya
Company data updated: October 2026

Leadership History

BMW: CEO History

5 leaders · 1970 to present

Who is the CEO of BMW?

Milan Nedeljković is the CEO of BMW, in the role since 2026. The first chief executive was Eberhard von Kuenheim, from 1970.

Current CEO
Milan Nedeljković (since 2026)
First CEO
Eberhard von Kuenheim (1970)
Leaders documented
5
Founded
1916
NameRoleFromToYears in role
Milan NedeljkovićChairman of the Board of Management (CEO)2026Present< 1
Oliver ZipseChairman of the Board of Management (CEO)201920267
Harald KrügerChairman of the Board of Management (CEO)201520194
Norbert ReithoferChairman of the Board of Management (CEO)200620159
Eberhard von KuenheimChairman of the Board of Management (CEO)1970199323
Who was CEO of BMW before Milan Nedeljković?
Oliver Zipse was CEO of BMW from 2019 to 2026, before Milan Nedeljković took over in 2026.

Company Overview

BMW (Bayerische Motoren Werke AG) is the Munich-based group behind BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, BMW ALPINA and BMW Motorrad. Its identity was built on the sporty premium sedan, from the 1961 New Class to the 3 Series, and the 'Ultimate Driving Machine' positioning still shapes how it designs and prices cars. BMW remains independent in an industry of large conglomerates because the Quandt family has kept a controlling-size stake since rescuing the company in 1959. In 2025 the group delivered 2,463,681 cars and 202,563 motorcycles, and it sells in more than 140 countries from over 30 production sites. The company is headquartered in Munich, Germany.

Milan Nedeljković

Chairman of the Board of Management (CEO)

2026 – Present

0 years (current)

Legacy

Took over from Oliver Zipse on 14 May 2026 after a career that began as a BMW trainee in 1993 and included senior roles at Plant Oxford, managing director of Plants Leipzig and Munich, senior vice president Corporate Quality and, from 2019, board member for Production. Within his first months he faced a June 2026 profit warning, agreed a voluntary-severance restructuring programme with the Works Council, and at the September 2026 Capital Market Day set a 3-5% automotive margin target for 2028 plus a 20% cut in divisions and management roles. His contract runs into 2031.

Source →

Oliver Zipse

Chairman of the Board of Management (CEO)

2019 – 2026

7 years

Legacy

Zipse joined BMW in 1991 and led the group from 16 August 2019 to 13 May 2026, concluding 35 years with the company. He steered BMW through the COVID-19 pandemic and chip shortages, consolidated the BMW Brilliance joint venture in 2022, and kept a technology-open strategy across combustion, hybrid, electric and hydrogen drives when rivals were committing to EV-only plans. His signature project was the Neue Klasse, launched with the BMW iX3 in 2025. Record earnings in 2022-2023 gave way to falling margins in 2024-2025 as China weakened and tariffs rose.

Source →

Harald Krüger

Chairman of the Board of Management (CEO)

2015 – 2019

4 years

Legacy

Krüger led BMW from May 2015 to August 2019, a period that included the launch of the X7 and the preparation of flexible vehicle architectures. He did not seek a second term amid criticism that BMW was moving too slowly on electrification and autonomous driving.

Source →

Norbert Reithofer

Chairman of the Board of Management (CEO)

2006 – 2015

9 years

Key Decisions & Impact

Reithofer aggressively launched 'Project i', pushing BMW into electric vehicles years before its rivals with the highly futuristic, carbon-fiber i3 and i8 models.

Legacy

Serving as CEO from 2006 to 2015, he maintained BMW's status as the world's best-selling premium automaker and spearheaded the company's early, massive investments in electrification.

Source →

Eberhard von Kuenheim

Chairman of the Board of Management (CEO)

1970 – 1993

23 years

Legacy

BMW's longest-serving chief executive turned a mainly German carmaker into an international premium brand, launching the 3 Series (1975) and 7 Series (1977) and completing the 'Four Cylinder' headquarters tower in Munich.

Source →

Challenges & Strategic Context

BMW's main pressure point is China: deliveries fell 12.5% in 2025 and 20.4% in H1 2026 as local EV brands took share and the market contracted. Tariffs cost about 1.5 points of automotive margin in 2025 and about 1.25 points in 2026, currency moves hurt revenue, and a UK motor-finance compensation provision hit Financial Services in Q1 2026. The result was a June 2026 profit warning, a 2.3% automotive EBIT margin in Q2 2026 and a workforce restructuring programme with voluntary severance.

BMW CEO and Leadership FAQ

Who is the current CEO of BMW?

Milan Nedeljković has been Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG since 14 May 2026. He joined BMW as a trainee in 1993, held senior roles at Plant Oxford, ran Plants Leipzig and Munich, led Corporate Quality and was board member for Production from 2019. His contract runs into 2031.

Who is Oliver Zipse and when was he BMW CEO?

Oliver Zipse led BMW from 16 August 2019 to 13 May 2026. He joined in 1991, had his contract extended beyond the usual retirement age in 2023, and left after 35 years with the company once the Neue Klasse had launched.

What did Oliver Zipse achieve as BMW CEO?

Zipse steered BMW through COVID-19 and chip shortages, consolidated the BMW Brilliance joint venture in 2022, delivered record revenue of ~$176 billion (EUR155.5 billion) in 2023 and launched the Neue Klasse with the iX3 in 2025. Margins fell in his last two years as China weakened and tariffs rose, to 5.3% in automotive in 2025.

What is Milan Nedeljković's plan for BMW?

At the 30 September 2026 Capital Market Day he set a 3-5% automotive margin target for 2028 and 8-10% by the start of the next decade. The plan cuts model variants, adds a first BMW ALPINA model and a compact Neue Klasse EV, raises local production in China, and reduces divisions and management roles by 20% by mid-2027.

Who was Harald Krüger and what was his tenure as BMW CEO?

Harald Krüger was CEO of BMW AG from May 2015 to August 2019. He oversaw the X7 launch and the move to flexible vehicle architectures, and chose not to seek a second term amid criticism that BMW had slowed on electrification.

Who was Norbert Reithofer and how did he shape modern BMW?

Norbert Reithofer was CEO from 2006 to 2015 and later chaired the Supervisory Board. His 'Strategy Number ONE' guided BMW through the 2008 financial crisis without state aid, and he approved Project i, which produced the carbon-fibre i3 and i8.

Who was Eberhard von Kuenheim?

Eberhard von Kuenheim was CEO from 1970 to 1993, the longest tenure in BMW's history. He turned BMW into an international premium brand, launching the 3 Series and 7 Series and opening the 'Four Cylinder' headquarters in Munich.

Who chairs BMW's Supervisory Board and what role do the Quandts play?

Dr Nicolas Peter, BMW's former finance chief, chairs the Supervisory Board. Stefan Quandt and Susanne Klatten, the anchor shareholders who together hold close to half of BMW's shares, both sit on the Supervisory Board.

Who is the CEO of BMW?

Oliver Zipse is the CEO, tasked with aggressively leading BMW's massive transition toward electric vehicles via the "Neue Klasse" platform without alienating their core combustion-engine enthusiasts.

Related Leadership Timelines

Compare executive leadership tenures and strategic transitions

Competitor

Mercedes Benz

View Leadership Timelines
Competitor

Audi

View Leadership Timelines
Competitor

Tesla

View Leadership Timelines
Competitor

Volkswagen

View Leadership Timelines
Competitor

Toyota

View Leadership Timelines

Explore BMW

Core profile pages, founders and related research hubs for this company.

Content is for informational purposes only. Not financial advice. Data sourced from SEC filings, annual reports, and public records. See our full disclaimer and methodology.