BMW Taps Airline CEO Dorothea von Boxberg for HR Chief Role Amid Restructuring Push

BMW (ETR:BMWG) announced Thursday it has appointed Dorothea von Boxberg, the current CEO of Brussels Airlines, as its new board member for human resources. The appointment, approved by the company's supervisory board, is effective September 1.

Leadership Transition

Von Boxberg will succeed Ilka Horstmeier, the outgoing head of HR. Before her role at Brussels Airlines, von Boxberg held several leadership positions within the Lufthansa Group (ETR:LHAG), bringing significant experience from outside the automotive sector.

Supervisory board chairman Nicolas Peter stated that von Boxberg offers extensive experience in managing transformation processes and an important "outside-in perspective." The move is seen as a strategic hire as the automaker re-evaluates its internal structures.

Navigating Financial Headwinds

The leadership change follows a profit warning issued by BMW last month under its new CEO, Milan Nedeljkovic. The company slashed its profit outlook for the year, with margins projected to be as low as 1%, and committed to further cost-cutting measures.

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"The BMW Group faces new challenges that require consistent adjustment of our structures and ways of working," said CEO Nedeljkovic. He added that he was convinced von Boxberg would be an "excellent addition" to help the company address these tasks. BMW management and staff representatives are expected to begin talks to accelerate efficiency initiatives.

Broader Industry Pressures

The appointment comes at a difficult time for the European auto industry, which is grappling with a costly transition to electric vehicles and intensifying competition from Chinese manufacturers. Additional pressures include costs associated with U.S. tariffs and geopolitical uncertainty.

While rivals like Volkswagen (ETR:VOW) and Mercedes-Benz have undertaken significant job cuts, BMW has so far avoided similar large-scale workforce reductions.