Krüger, who had been criticized for not steering the group quickly enoughtowards electric technology, said earlier this month that he would not seek another term when his current office runs out next April. Zipse, 55, began as a trainee at BMW in 1991 and has since held various management positions. The other main contender to head the car behemoth was believed to have been BMW research chief Klaus Fröhlich. Supervisory board chairman Nobert Reithofer said that "decisive strategic and analytical leader" Zipse will "provide the BMW Group with fresh momentum in shaping the mobility of the future". In the first five months of 2019, BMW sold 48,000 electrified vehicles, up two percent on the same period in 2018.

Source: The Local July 19, 2019 07:52 UTC