• Effective January 1, 2026, Dennis Kinzelmann will assume responsibility for Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks.
• In this role, he will also oversee Daimler Truck’s global defence business and report directly to the CEO of Mercedes-Benz Trucks.
• Kinzelmann succeeds Franziska Cusumano, who will take over as CEO for Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation in Japan on April 1, 2026.
• Achim Puchert, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Trucks, comments: “Dennis Kinzelmann brings nearly 20 years of experience in various leadership roles within the automotive industry. As a passionate and forward-thinking leader, Dennis has demonstrated how to drive innovation, master complex challenges, build sustainable partnerships, and lead teams to peak performance. I am confident that Dennis will continue the success story of Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks and strategically advance our focus on the defence business. Given the strategic importance of this segment, Dennis will report directly to me. I wish him every success in his new role.”

Leinfelden-Echterdingen / Wörth am Rhein –Personnel change at Mercedes-Benz Trucks: Dennis Kinzelmann (45) will take over as Head of Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks & Custom Tailored Trucks effective January 1, 2026. He succeeds Franziska Cusumano (36), who will assume the role of CEO of Mitsubishi Fuso Truck and Bus Corporation in Japan as of April 1, 2026. In his new position, Kinzelmann will be responsible for the development, production, and sales of the Mercedes-Benz model series Unimog, Econic, and Zetros in Wörth, Daimler Truck’s global defence business, as well as the business for tailored customer conversions in Molsheim, Alsace. Due to the strategic importance of the defence business for Daimler Truck, Kinzelmann will henceforth report directly to the CEO of Mercedes-Benz Trucks.

Kinzelmann began his professional career in 2003 as a purchaser for Mercedes-Benz passenger cars. Since 2008, he has held various leadership positions in product strategy and management, compliance, procurement, and development. He combines decades of corporate experience with a strong market and product focus to successfully drive the growth of Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks – particularly in the defence segment.

Against the backdrop of changing security policy conditions, Daimler Truck underscores its commitment to contributing to the operational readiness of its customers in the defence sector through its products and is making targeted investments in the further development of its product portfolio, the expansion of new capabilities, and the utilization of industrial production and scaling expertise.

Achim Puchert, CEO of Mercedes-Benz Trucks, adds: “Dennis Kinzelmann brings nearly 20 years of experience in various leadership roles within the automotive industry. As a passionate and forward-thinking leader, Dennis has demonstrated how to drive innovation, master complex challenges, build sustainable partnerships, and lead teams to peak performance. I am confident that Dennis will continue the success story of Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks and strategically advance our focus on the defence business. Given the strategic importance of this segment, Dennis will report directly to me. I wish him every success in his new role.”

Achim Puchert: “On behalf of the entire Board, I would like to sincerely thank Franziska Cusumano for her outstanding commitment and the significant contributions she has made to Daimler Truck over the past years. Under her leadership, our defence business achieved a remarkable comeback: key industry partnerships were established, and major tenders were won – an excellent foundation for sustainable growth, on which Dennis and his team will build to further scale the business.”

About Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks

Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks is responsible for the development, production, and sales of the Mercedes-Benz model series Unimog, Econic, and Zetros, as well as chassis for special-purpose bodies for civilian and military applications within Daimler Truck. At the Wörth site, Mercedes-Benz Special Trucks has combined expertise in highly flexible small-series production with know-how for specialized sectors such as defence, municipal services, firefighting, agriculture, and two-way vehicles for more than 20 years. The unit’s strategic focus also includes centrally managing the growth of global defence activities. This encompasses the Custom Tailored Trucks business unit in Molsheim, Alsace. Custom Tailored Trucks delivers complex, bespoke customer solutions for body and conversion projects. Within Mercedes-Benz Trucks, Custom Tailored Trucks is the point of contact for special customer requirements in both civilian and military applications and, with its expertise, guarantees tailored and unique solutions.