SEOUL (S.KOREA)---Daimler announced that Thomas Urbach (49), currently Director Sales and Marketing Vans Germany of Mercedes-Benz Sales Germany, will succeed Harald Behrend as President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Korea effective March 1, 2012. 

Harald Behrend has been with the company since 1989 and has filled several management positions for Daimler in Asia since 2002, when he became Head of Retail Network at Mercedes-Benz China. In 2006 he took over as COO in Hong-Kong before he was appointed President and CEO of Mercedes-Benz Korea in 2007. 

Thomas Urbach joined Daimler in 1989 and has held several management positions within the van business of the German sales organization before he became Vice President Sales and Marketing Mercedes-Benz Cars for Daimler South East Asia in Singapore in 2003. He has filled his current position in Berlin since January 2006. 

Dr. Joachim Schmidt, Executive Vice President of Mercedes-Benz Cars, Sales & Marketing, said, “We would like to thank Harald Behrend for his commitment to our brands and products as well as for his personal contribution to the success of our company in Asia. We wish him all the best for his personal and professional future.” 

Dr. Schmidt continued, “With his experience in Sales and Marketing of Mercedes-Benz Cars as well as on the commercial vehicle side we are confident that Thomas Urbach will contribute to the further growth of Mercedes-Benz on the Korean market.”