Mercedes-Benz Korea said Friday it appointed Thomas Klein, the current president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Middle East, as the new president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Korea, effective Jan. 1, 2021.

Klein began his career with Daimler AG at the University of Cooperative Education program of the Mercedes-Benz plant in Germany in 1999. In 2014, Klein was appointed managing director of Mercedes-Benz passenger cars in South Africa, before he assumed responsibility for sales at Daimler AG in Germany in 2017. Since July 2019, he has served as the president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Cars Middle East in Dubai.

Mercedes-Benz Korea said, “The incoming president has extensive international experience in the automotive industry and successfully led the sales and services performance across the countries within the Middle East.”

Klein said, “I am excited to have been appointed as the new president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Korea and to serve the Korean market, where Mercedes-Benz has made consistent growth based on the love and trust of the customers.”

He added, “I will work towards further enhancing the Korean customers’ satisfaction with the Mercedes-Benz brand through new and exciting brand experiences amid the global automotive industry’s transformation.”

Kim Jee-seop, vice president of the customer services department at Mercedes-Benz Korea, will continue his role as interim president and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Korea until Klein’s term begins next year.

By Shin Ji-hye (shinjh@heraldcorp.com)