BMW will be led by a new CEO in 2026

There’s a major leadership change at the top for BMW.

Following a decision made by BMW’s Supervisory Board, Milan Nedeljković will assume the role of Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG. He will succeed Oliver Zipse, who has led the board since 2019 and will retire from the role after more than ten years as a board member.

Nedeljković, who is currently the head of the production division and a board member since 2019, has spent more than three decades with BMW after joining as a trainee in 1993. His extensive international experience includes leadership roles at Plant Oxford, Plant Leipzig, and Plant Munich, as well as serving as Senior Vice President for Corporate Quality.

His term as Chairman will begin effectively on May 14, 2026 and will run through 2031, signalling long-term continuity in BMW’s strategic direction.

Zipse, on the other hand, had his contract previously extended beyond the typical retirement age to oversee the rollout of Neue Klasse models of BMW. He will leave the company’s Board of Management following the Annual General Meeting on May 13, 2026, and will conclude an impressive 35-year career with BMW.

Under the leadership of Zipse, BMW managed to get through global disruptions such as the COVID-19 pandemic and had complete oversight of the Neue Klasse project, which is considered one of the most important product initiatives in BMW’s history.

Dr. Martin Kimmich, Chairman of the Global Works Council and deputy Chairman of the Supervisory Board, said: "Milan Nedeljković is held in high regard by and enjoys the trust of BMW’s workforce. Together with him, we look forward to continuing the long tradition of cooperative collaboration between the Works Council and corporate management as a foundation for our BMW success story."