Oliver Zipse commenced his journey at BMW in 1991 as an apprentice and later took on various managerial positions. He became the chairman of the board of management in August 2019, with his contract extended through 2026. Although BMW’s supervisory board imposes a 60-year age limit for board members, an exception was granted for Zipse, who will reach 62 in February.
As noted earlier, Zipse will resign at the end of his contract. BMW announced today that Milan Nedeljković will assume the role of chairman of the prestigious luxury car manufacturer next year. He is set to officially take the position on May 14, the day after the annual general meeting, when Zipse leaves the board of management.
Nedeljković, much like his predecessor, began at BMW as a trainee in 1993. The 56-year-old has climbed to senior leadership roles at Plant Oxford and has held the title of Managing Director at the Leipzig and Munich plants. He has also served as Senior Vice President, Corporate Quality. His contract runs until 2031, at which point he too will be over 60.
The coming years promise to be extremely active for BMW, with approximately 40 new or revamped models expected to hit the market by the end of 2027. Subsequently, the lineup may feature an i1 hatchback and an i2 sedan, alongside rumors of a large, rugged SUV with hybrid and electric options.
All forthcoming models, irrespective of their powertrain, will fall under the contemporary Neue Klasse framework. Zipse was instrumental in establishing this trajectory with the second-generation iX3. The electric crossover will be followed next year by the 3 Series and i3 sedans. In 2026, BMW is also predicted to launch the next-gen X5, a refreshed 7 Series, and potentially the first iX4.
At the end of Zipse’s term or the start of Nedeljković’s, ALPINA is anticipated to initiate a new phase within the BMW Group by reintroducing its rendition of the 7 Series.
Source: BMW
