Mercedes-Benz South Africa (MBSA) has announced a leadership transition, appointing Abey Kgotle and Claudius Steinhoff as co-Chief Executive Officers, effective December 1. They replace Andreas Brand, who will move to Stuttgart to assume a senior executive role at Mercedes-Benz AG, overseeing global production networks.
The current tenure of Andreas Brand will be replaced by this dual-leadership model. Brand will be moving to Stuttgart to take a senior executive position at Mercedes-Benz AG, where he will be responsible for managing the company’s worldwide production networks.
Abey Kgotle’s portfolio
Kgotle, currently Executive Director of Human Resources and Corporate Affairs at MBSA, has over two decades of experience across the public, mining, and manufacturing sectors.
He has held board-level positions at Mercedes-Benz Financial Services South Africa and Daimler Truck Southern Africa and serves as chairman of the Automobile Manufacturers Employers’ Organisation (AMEO).
His appointment underscores the company’s commitment to cultivating local leadership with global capabilities.
Strategic move to develop local executive talent
The company’s decision to hire Kgotle is part of a larger strategic move to demonstrate its dedication to developing local executive talent with the ability to shape global agendas.
He co-leads the company with Claudius Steinhoff, who keeps his current portfolio, with the goal of providing a strong management structure capable of handling the intricacies of a quickly changing sector.
These challenges include the world’s rapid shift to electric vehicles and sustainable manufacturing methods, where Kgotle’s knowledge and multi-sectoral perspectives are anticipated to be crucial.
Mercedes-Benz South Africa’s leadership under Andreas Brand
With Andreas Brand’s departure, MBSA comes to the end of a tenure that began in 2022 and saw significant expansion and operational improvement.
The company strengthened its manufacturing capabilities and increased its sustainable footprint under his leadership, accomplishments that were praised by the supervisory board and industry watchers. Mercedes-Benz AG’s new duties confirm his ongoing strategic importance to the company as a whole.
The change in leadership at MBSA reflects how corporate governance is changing in multinational corporations doing business in emerging markets.
The company’s decision to promote Kgotle recognises his demonstrated ability to lead an organisation and engage stakeholders, but it also signals a reorganisation of its executive team in response to local and international demands.
Crucial moment for South Africa’s automotive industry
Kgotle’s appointment comes at a pivotal moment for South Africa’s automotive industry, which is increasingly affected by global sustainability regulations, technological advancements, and regional growth strategies.
Kgotle’s nuanced understanding of policy, labour dynamics, and industrial competitiveness can greatly benefit Mercedes-Benz’s goal to preserve its premium market positioning while fostering new growth frontiers in Southern Africa and beyond.
This breakthrough demonstrates MBSA’s strategic goal of fusing local leadership with international best practices, a move that increases its flexibility and pertinence in a rapidly changing industry.
The decision aligns with broader industry trends that favour leadership models that are agile, contextuallyaware, and capable of guiding complex, forward-looking transformations.