MERCEDES-BENZ South Africa Limited (MBSA Limited) has announced the resignation of its Chief Executive Officer, Andreas Brand, effective 31 May 2026.
Brand will take up a new assignment at Mercedes-Benz AG as the Head of Supply Chain Management for Global Customer Services and Parts (GCSP), in Stuttgart, Germany.
Brand joined Mercedes-Benz in 1997 in Rastatt, Germany. After holding various positions in planning and production in Germany and abroad, he took over the management of the press shop and body shop in Kecskemét during the initial plant construction and launch, a foundational experience in establishing new global production facilities.
In 2013, Brand led the “painted body” department in the Factory One in Sindelfingen, later becoming Chief Engineer Production for the Global Compact Car Platform.
He subsequently became responsible for “integrated programme planning”, where he demonstrated exceptional resilience and strategic foresight in navigating challenges brought on by the Covid-19 pandemic as well as the semiconductor crisis.
From 2022 to 2025, Brand served at the helm of MBSA Limited as CEO and Executive Director: Manufacturing.
During his tenure at MBSA Limited, he successfully spearheaded the direction of the East London manufacturing plant by continuing with its manufacturing excellence, significantly strengthening the global production capability and ensuring the continued operational performance at the East London plant, an award‑winning manufacturing site critical to Mercedes‑Benz’s global C‑Class output.
In December 2025, Brand assumed the role of Head of CKD and Mid-Volume Production, concurrent to his responsibilities as CEO of MBSA Limited.
Wilfried Porth, Chairman of the MBSA Limited Board, said: “On behalf of the board, we extend our sincere appreciation to Andreas for his outstanding leadership and unwavering commitment throughout his tenure.
“Under his guidance, MBSA Limited maintained strong strategic continuity, safeguarded operational stability across our manufacturing operations and strengthened our competitiveness both within the Mercedes‑Benz AG global production network and in the premium vehicle market.
“His contributions have been instrumental in reinforcing the East London plant’s role as a world‑class manufacturing site and a key asset in our global C‑Class value chain,” Porth said. “We thank Andreas for his transformative impact and wish him continued success in his new role.”
A successor to Brand has yet to be announced.
