Effective 1 April, Breitschwerdt takes over from Wilfried Steffen, who is moving to a new role as head of Daimler’s Business Innovation Division in Stuttgart.

He joined the company in 1991 and has held various senior roles in marketing, planning and sales, including director marketing strategy for Mercedes-Benz Cars. He took up his current position in Mercedes-Benz Canada in 2003.

Breitschwerdt said: 'I’m very excited by the challenges and opportunities of the UK automotive market and delighted to be joining a Mercedes-Benz organisation that has achieved so much in its rich history over so many decades and over the course of the last eight years with Wilfried Steffen at the helm.'

Wilfried Steffen has been president & CEO at Mercedes-Benz UK since 2003. He said: 'It has been a rewarding eight years and I am proud to have worked with such a fantastic group of people, both in MBUK and across our retail network.  I am certain that the company will be going strong into the future and will enjoy continued success under Marcus’ leadership.'