Mercedes‑Benz (China) announced a coordinated set of leadership changes across its joint‑venture operations on 14 February, signaling an orderly management reshuffle rather than a sudden break. Duan Jianjun, president and CEO of Beijing Mercedes‑Benz Sales & Service Co., resigned for personal reasons and will leave the company, while remaining as a strategic advisor through 30 April to smooth the handover.
Effective 1 March 2026, Li Desi, currently the company’s sales executive vice president, will assume the role of president and CEO of the Mercedes sales company. The sales executive vice president slot will be filled from 1 April by Zhang Mingxia, who is ending her tenure as global chief marketing officer at the smart joint venture to return to Mercedes’ sales operations.
The reshuffle also moves Kang Yi, today the head of sales and marketing at Mercedes‑Benz Automotive Finance, to become smart’s global chief marketing officer from 1 April. The personnel transfers cross-cut sales, marketing and finance functions and involve both Mercedes’ China sales joint venture and the smart brand’s global operations, a configuration that underlines the interdependence of product, channel and finance strategies in China’s auto market.
On the surface the changes are presented as a routine succession and talent rotation. But they come at a sensitive moment for premium automakers operating in China: local competition among electric‑vehicle specialists remains fierce, margins are under pressure, and manufacturers are experimenting with new brand and distribution models to retain customers and dealers.
Promoting from within — elevating Li to the top sales role and drawing Zhang back from smart to strengthen sales leadership — suggests Mercedes is prioritising continuity and cross‑functional expertise. Appointing Kang to lead marketing at smart indicates an emphasis on aligning financing, sales incentives and brand messaging as smart seeks a clearer place in the global EV market.
The transition timetable is explicit: Li takes charge on 1 March, the other moves take effect on 1 April, and Duan will support the handover through the end of April. That cadence gives Mercedes‑Benz China a short, managed runway to stabilise operations before the spring sales season and before the company reports first‑quarter figures.