Goller dons CEO's helmet at BMW Group Region China

Senior Vice-President of BMW Brilliance Automotive Co, Jochen Goller, will take over the position of president and CEO of BMW Group Region China－aiming to further strengthen the premium brand's market performance, the company announced.

Goller, 51, succeeds 62-year-old Olaf Kastner and will be responsible for the BMW Group's operations in China, including coordination with the local joint venture, effective Mar 1, 2018.

BMW Group announced the appointment on Wednesday, and said Kastner will continue to support the group on overarching issues in China.

"We are grateful to Olaf Kastner for his contribution during his tenure over the past eight years," said Harald Krueger, chairman of the board of management of BMW AG, in a statement.

"We are confident that Jochen Goller will continue our successful development as he takes charge of guiding operations in BMW Group's largest market worldwide."

The company's news release said Goller has significant knowledge and experience of China and has demonstrated long-standing dedication and commitment to the market, which are the best prerequisites to take the operations in China to the next level.

Goller joined BMW Group in 1999 and served as the company's head of marketing in China from 2004 to 2009.

From 2009 to 2015, he led the Mini business initially in the United Kingdom and then globally.

Goller subsequently returned to the fast-moving Chinese market in 2015, to oversee sales and marketing as senior vice-president of BMW Brilliance Automotive Co.

Kastner led the business of BMW Group Region China over the last two years, after managing the Chinese venture's operations for six years. Since 2009, BMW Group and BMW Brilliance have jointly built vehicles, engines and high-voltage battery production facilities in Shenyang.

Sales volume of BMW and Mini cars reached a new high of 542,362 units in the first 11 months of this year.