Who is BMW new CEO Milan Nedeljković? Insider chosen to replace Oliver Zipse

Those challenges prompted the luxury automaker to cut its 2025 earnings forecast in October, and BMW is now banking on the first model from the all-electric “Neue Klasse” series to drive growth in 2026.

Who is Milan Nedeljković?

Nedeljković, 56, has been with BMW since 1993 and is currently a member of the management board in charge of production. Born in Serbia, he studied mechanical engineering in Germany and at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) before joining BMW as a trainee.

He has held several key roles, including leading the paint shop at BMW’s Oxford MINI plant and serving as managing director of the Munich plant.

Nedeljković joined BMW’s management board in 2019, taking over responsibility for global production as the company began shifting towards electric models. His contract as CEO will run until 2031.

BMW’s supervisory board chair Nicolas Peter said Nedeljković “unites people and motivates them to achieve peak performance,” adding that this was “a crucial leadership quality” as the company adapts to industry changes, Reuters said.

An analyst at Metzler, Pal Skirta, told Reuters that Nedeljković’s broad experience across BMW sites made him well placed to manage the transition. “This makes him well-equipped to navigate the challenges ahead,” Skirta said.

What happens to Oliver Zipse?

The outgoing CEO Oliver Zipse, 61, will leave the company in May 2026 after 35 years at BMW. His mandate had been extended beyond the usual retirement age. Zipse is expected to join the Airbus board of directors, according to earlier announcements.

Peter said Zipse had guided BMW “through global crises such as the coronavirus pandemic” and had been “the driving force behind the Neue Klasse,” Reuters reported.