BMW Group has announced the appointment of Rene Gerhard as Managing Director, BMW Group Asia, effective 1 February 2026. Prior to his new appointment, Gerhard served as President & CEO, BMW Group Thailand in Bangkok for nearly two years.
Rene Gerhard succeeds Lars Nielsen, will relocate to Munich, Germany and take up the newly established role of Head of Sales Steering & Strategy for Region Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa.
Gerhard has been working with the BMW Group since 2002 and gained extensive experience in both the BMW retail and wholesale businesses in Germany before moving to the Asia Pacific region in 2016 to take on the position of Director of Sales at BMW India.
In 2019, Gerhard moved to Australia to lead BMW Sydney and MINI Garage as Dealer Principal for two years before taking on the position of Director of Sales and Dealer Development, BMW Group Australia, where he led the brand to the number one position in the Australian premium automotive market. In 2024, Gerhard made a move to Southeast Asia to take on the role of President & CEO, BMW Group Thailand.
Ritu Chandy, Senior Vice President, Region Asia Pacific, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, BMW Group, said, “I am extremely excited to welcome Rene Gerhard to Singapore, where he can leverage his extensive global sales experience to lead the diverse and dynamic markets that make up the BMW Group Asia region. Rene’s extensive background includes sales roles in the BMW Group Niederlassung in Frankfurt and Berlin, and as Dealer Principal in Sydney, Australia, for BMW and MINI. This experience gives him a deep understanding of dealership and importer operations, making him an asset to the region.”
“I would also like to take this opportunity to thank Lars Nielsen for his leadership and commitment to developing the BMW Group Asia region during his tenure. Over the last four and a half years, he has made a strong impact on how and where we do business. Under his leadership, BMW secured the number one position in the premium market in Singapore and is leading the premium segment across the BMW Group Asia region. Lars also oversaw the start of local production in Vietnam and helped guide the BMW Group Indonesia team in expanding its footprint for both the BMW and MINI brands across the country,” she adds.
