Mr. Lars Nielsen appointed new Managing Director, BMW Group Asia.

Singapore. Mr. Lars Nielsen will take up the position of Managing Director of BMW Group Asia, with effect from 1 September 2021. Prior to his new appointment, Mr. Nielsen served as the Director of Sales and Marketing at BMW Group Middle East in Dubai for nearly two and a half years.

Mr. Nielsen (43) has been working with the BMW Group since 2008 where he began his career as Director of Sales for BMW Group Denmark in Copenhagen. After four years, he moved to Munich, and took on the position of Area Manager Europe, Market Group North, from January 2012 to December 2014. In January 2015, Mr. Nielsen moved to Southeast Asia to take on the role of Director of Sales and Marketing for BMW Group Thailand until 2019.

Mr. Christopher Wehner, the current Managing Director of BMW Group Asia, will relocate back to Munich, Germany to take on the position of Vice President for Product and Launch Management, MINI.

“We are extremely excited to welcome Lars Nielsen back to Southeast Asia, this time to lead BMW Group Asia in Singapore. His vast sales and marketing experience in Europe, the Middle East and Thailand strongly position him to lead the diverse group of markets in this region,” said Mr. Hendrik von Kuenheim, Senior Vice President Region Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, BMW Group. “Mr. Nielsen’s experience in the areas of electrification and online sales will also be invaluable as we look to achieve our sustainability goals in the region and look to take our sales process online to create a seamless customer journey.

"I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Christopher Wehner for his contribution during his tenure at BMW Group Asia. Under his strong leadership during these uncertain times, the BMW Group Asia region has achieved many milestones, including segment leadership in Singapore, Indonesia and the Philippines in 2020, record sales in the BMW Group Asia region and in Singapore in 1H 2021, and managing 14 markets through a pandemic that still continues to surge in the region.”

BMW Group Asia comprises 14 markets, including Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam, Philippines, Sri Lanka, Brunei, Bangladesh, Nepal, Guam, New Caledonia, Tahiti, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar.

BMW Asia increased retail sales by +21% in 1H 2021 compared to the same period in 2019. MINI Asia also increased retail sales in 1H 2021 by +12% compared to the same period in 2019 and more than doubled sales since 2011.