Dennis Kinzelmann will take over as CEO of Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks & Custom Tailored Trucks effective Jan. 1. In this role, he will also oversee Daimler Truck’s global defense business and report directly to the CEO of Mercedes-Benz Trucks.

He succeeds Franziska Cusumano, who will assume the role of CEO of Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation in Japan as of April 1. 

“Dennis Kinzelmann brings nearly 20 years of experience in various leadership roles within the automotive industry. As a passionate and forward-thinking leader, Dennis has demonstrated how to drive innovation, master complex challenges, build sustainable partnerships, and lead teams to peak performance,” said Achim Puchert, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Trucks. “I am confident that Dennis will continue the success story of Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks and strategically advance our focus on the defense business. Given the strategic importance of this segment, Dennis will report directly to me. I wish him every success in his new role.”

Duties of the New Role

In his new position, Kinzelmann will be responsible for the development, production, and sales of the Mercedes-Benz model series Unimog, Econic, and Zetros in Wörth, Daimler Truck’s global defense business, as well as the business for tailored customer conversions in Molsheim, Alsace. Due to the strategic importance of the defense business for Daimler Truck.

Started Career in 2003 at Mercedes-Benz

Kinzelmann began his professional career in 2003 as a purchaser for Mercedes-Benz passenger cars. Since 2008, he has held various leadership positions in product strategy and management, compliance, procurement, and development. He combines decades of corporate experience with a strong market and product focus to successfully drive the growth of Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks – particularly in the defense segment.

Daimler Truck Committed to Defense Sector

Against the backdrop of changing security policy conditions, Daimler Truck said it is committed to contributing to the operational readiness of its customers in the defense sector through its products and is making targeted investments in the further development of its product portfolio, the expansion of new capabilities, and the utilization of industrial production and scaling expertise.

“On behalf of the entire board, I would like to sincerely thank Franziska Cusumano for her outstanding commitment and the significant contributions she has made to Daimler Truck over the past years,” Puchert said. “Under her leadership, our defense business achieved a remarkable comeback: key industry partnerships were established, and major tenders were won – an excellent foundation for sustainable growth, on which Dennis and his team will build to further scale the business.”