The Covid crisis has caused all sorts of delays for businesses across the country and across the globe, including Daimler Trucks, which has been waiting for its new chosen head of Fuso in Australia, Alexander Müller for more than a year.
Müller’s appointment has now been announced and made official by Daimler today in a move that the company says will “strengthened its executive team”. We are told Müller has been waiting to get to Australia from his native Germany for much of the last year but border closures and restrictions have played havoc with the schedule for his arrival.
Müller, who was previously the head of global key account management and vocational business for Mercedes-Benz Trucks in Stuttgart, comes to Australia to take up as head of Fuso Truck and Bus, a position that has remained vacant since Justin Whitford departed the company in August 2019.
Müller’s has vast experience across a range of Daimler operations and his roles in Europe included serving as the head of sales and marketing of Fuso Europe from 2006 to 2013, when he oversaw a restructure of the sales network and set an annual sales record of 10,000 units.
Daimler Truck and Bus Australia Pacific president and CEO, Daniel Whitehead, said Alexander Müller is an immensely valuable asset for Fuso.
“Further strengthening our local management team is central to our commitment to deliver industry-leading products and services for Australia’s vitally important truck and bus industry,” he said.
“Securing someone of Alex’s ability, experience and proven track record to lead the Fuso brand and respond to evolving customer demand is a big plus.”
“Alex knows exactly what it takes to realise the huge potential of Fuso and its range of class-leading trucks and buses,” Daniel Whitehead added that
Alexander Müller says he is looking forward to growing the Fuso Truck and Bus business in Australia.
“This is a very exciting time to lead Fuso in Australia,” Mr Müller said.
“I’m looking forward to helping more customers grow their businesses with the most advanced trucks and buses backed by the best customer support packages in the country. It will be important for me to establish strong relationships with customers and dealers to offer the best solutions in such a dynamic transport industry,” he added.
Mr Müller started in his new role at Daimler Truck and Bus Australian HQ in Mulgrave last week.
He began his career with Daimler in 1999 in Stuttgart, in the role of marketing mnanager vans. In 2002, he took over the role as head of sales and marketing vans in Italy, where he and his team were also responsible for building the Mitsubishi Fuso business.
In 2006, he returned to Stuttgart as head of sales and marketing Fuso Europe until 2013, when he was given responsibility for sales of Daimler Latina in South America for the Fuso, BharatBenz, Freightliner, Western Star, Mercedes-Benz Truck and Vans brands.
After his return from Sao Paulo in 2015, Müller was responsible for the management of the worldwide Mercedes-Benz Truck Fleet and Bodybuilder business.