BMW Management Group

Dr. Norbert Reithofer - left -(50) was appointed as Chairman of the Board of Management and took over this position from Dr. Helmut Panke -right- (59) on September 1, 2006.

He has been a member since 2000, and prior to that, held various offices, including those of Head of the Rosslyn plant in South Africa and Head of the Spartanburg plant in the USA. Mr. Reithofer joined BMW AG in 1987.

The Supervisory Board appointed also Frank-Peter Arndt (50) to the Board of Management as Reithofer's successor with responsibility for Production. Arndt is currently Head of the BMW Dingolfing plant.

The Supervisory Board appointed Dr. Klaus Draeger (49) to the Board of Management of BMW AG with effect from 1 November 2006.

Draeger took over responsibility for Research, Development and Purchasing from Professor Dr. Burkhard Göschel (60). Draeger is currently Director of the development department with responsibility for the Group's large model series (BMW 5, 6 and 7 Series).

BMW's American Global Design Director, protective of his engineers and the design process, is having an impact. He is the Chief of Design for BMW group, responsible for design strategy and conception across all BMW's brands including Mini and Rolls Royce.

he joined BMW in 1992, he had little complete-car track record, and became their first American chief of design. The 1999 Z9 concept car marked a departure from BMW's traditional conservative style, and his latter work has caused some controversy among BMW enthusiasts. But his designs have sold, and after being replaced as Chief Designer of BMW by Dutch protege Adrian van Hooydonk, Bangle became the Chief of Design for the whole BMW Group, including Mini and Rolls Royce.

• More info of Chris Bangle in Wikipedia
• Motor Trend Interview with Chris Bangle
• Los Angeles Article of Chris Bangle
• I Can't Help Hating Chris Bangle

He was appointed as Chairman of the Board of Management after the Annual General Meeting in 2002, at the same time his predecessor, Professor Milberg, moved to the Supervisory Board. In his position as Head of Group Planning and Strategy, Panke was closely involved in sharpening the international focus of the BMW Group: he took a leading role in the decision and planning of the Spartanburg plant (South Carolina) in the USA.

In 1993, he took over responsibility for the management of BMW (US) Holding Corp. During his time as Chairman of the Board of Management, he inaugurated the production plant of the joint venture with Brilliance China Automotive Holdings Limited in Shenyang in 2004 and prepared the path for the establishment of a BMW plant in India, which is to open next year.

Dr. Joachim Milberg has been a member of BMW's Board of Management since 1993, and was named BMW's Chairman of the Board of Management in 1999, where he remained until his retirement in May 2002. Prior to joining BMW in 1993, Dr. Milberg taught at Munich (Germany) Technical University. He also served as Director of the Research Institute for Machine Tools and Management Science with the Centre for Production Automation and Robot Technology in Munich, and the Production Technology User Centre in Augsburg, Germany.

He is also a member of the board of directors of Bertelsmann AG; BMW AG, Munich (Chairman of the Supervisory Board); Festo AG; and MAN AG, Munich. Dr. Milberg is a member of Partner Committee, TUV Suddeutschland, Munich, and Senat and Executive Committees, Max Planck Gesellschaft, Munich.

Professor Dr. Burkhard Göschel has been with BMW AG since 1978; after holding various senior positions within the research and development function, he joined the Board of Management in March 2000, taking over responsibility for Research, Development und Purchasing. Professor Joachim Milberg thanked Burkhard Göschel for his steadfast commitment and dedication to the BMW Group over the years: "Mr. Göschel has played an important role in the area of motorcycle, engine and vehicle development; the Board of Management team has been responsible for the most comprehensive model and market initiative in the history of our company."