Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA LLC Announces Leadership Changes in Marketing

FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. Aug. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA LLC announced today changes in the leadership of its Marketing operations.

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110801/DE44297-a )

(Photo:  http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20110801/DE44297-b )

Andreas Hinrichs, Vice President of Marketing for Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA since June, 2008, will take on new responsibilities as a Regional Director in Singapore for Daimler Financial Services, effective today.

In his new position, Hinrichs will be responsible for new business development and operations in recently-opened offices in India, South Korea, Thailand and Singapore, part of the company's fast-growing Africa/Asia-Pacific Region. The company's operations in India officially opened on July 18.

Replacing Hinrichs will be Geoff Robinson, Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Remarketing for Daimler Truck Financial since 2010, and Director since 2006.

In his new position Robinson will be responsible for all marketing-related activities for Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA, including pricing, point-of-sale systems, brand partner relationships, insurance services, aftermarket products and program development, credit card services, dealer and customer communications and sales reporting.

"Under the leadership of Andreas Hinrichs, Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA was able to introduce significant innovations and become a market leader in mobile technology and process improvements that vastly benefited our dealers and retail customers," said Dietmar Exler, Vice President and head of Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA. "Geoff brings over 20 years experience in our organization in both the United Kingdom and the United States and brings a diverse background from the automotive and trucking industries to the Marketing team."

Hinrichs, a licensed CPA who holds a bachelor's degree in Marketing from Pforzheim University in Germany and a summa cum laude MBA from the University of Louisville, joined the Daimler Group in 1996.

Robinson, who holds a bachelor's degree in Social Sciences and Legal Studies from Sheffield Hallam University in the UK, joined the company in 1990 as an Area Manager in for Mercedes-Benz Finance in the UK.

After overseeing the massive "de-merger" of Daimler Financial and Chrysler Financial in 2007 and 2008, Hinrichs was assigned to head up the Mercedes-Benz Financial Services Marketing Department where he drove innovation and process improvements, most notably the company's mobile technology strategy, giving customers the opportunity to make their payments by iPhone and smartphones. Additionally, the company became one of the first in the world to adapt the consumer-oriented iPad to a business application, which is now being used in all of Mercedes-Benz dealerships in the United States.    

About Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA LLC

Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA LLC, headquartered in Farmington Hills, Mich., with Business Center Operations in Fort Worth, Texas, provides brand-specific financial services and products for Mercedes-Benz automotive dealers and their retail customers. It also provides financial support to smart USA dealers and customers.

In the U.S. trucking industry, it conducts business as Daimler Truck Financial and finances Daimler Trucks North America commercial vehicles branded Freightliner, Western Star and Thomas-Built Buses. The company also finances Mitsubishi Fuso Trucks of America dealers and their customers. Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA LLC serves as the headquarters for operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Argentina and Brazil, and has approximately 1,500 employees. It is a company of the Daimler Financial Services Group, headquartered in Berlin, Germany, which does business in 39 countries with an employee base of approximately 6,700. Daimler Financial Services is one of the leading financial services organizations worldwide. For more information, go to: www.mbfs.com

SOURCE Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA LLC