June 21, 2022 – Mercedes-Benz Group AG appoints Paul Gao to the newly created position of Chief Strategy Officer, effective July 1, 2022.
Gao, who has decades-long experience working in the auto sector, was most recently a Senior Partner at McKinsey & Company in Hong Kong, serving both Chinese and global industry clients. With his international background he will steer all aspects of the Mercedes-Benz strategy. A central part of Paul Gao’s role will be to incorporate the specific requirements and insights of key Asian markets into strategic business decisions at Mercedes-Benz. Gao will report directly to Chief Executive, Ola Källenius.
Paul is an excellent addition to our team: a proven strategist with exceptional analytical skills who has also demonstrated the ability to successfully deploy his ideas. He has close to 30 years of auto industry experience and essential know-how about China and other Asian growth markets. This makes Paul the right choice to further enhance the international profile of our brand, our management and our company.
Ola Källenius
Chief Executive of Mercedes-Benz Group AG
Since the completion of his academic studies in the United States and China, Gao has worked for leading professional service firms in America and Asia, including almost 20 years with McKinsey & Company. As a Partner since 2003 and a Senior Partner since 2013, Paul Gao has been advising leading multinational and Chinese automotive companies. He has deep expertise in corporate and business unit strategy, sales and marketing strategy, joint ventures and strategic partnerships, cross-border transactions, organizational development and product strategy with a focus on e-mobility. Paul Gao speaks fluent English and Mandarin.
