Dive Brief:

• Daimler Truck appointed Eva Scherer, a long-time executive at the German industrial giant Siemens, as its new CFO, for a three-year term through March 31, 2027. She will be responsible for finance and controlling and was also appointed to the company’s board of management, the company announced Thursday.

• One of the world’s largest manufacturers of commercial vehicles, Germany-based Daimler Truck’s top finance seat was left vacant after Jochen Goetz died unexpectedly last summer of complications stemming from a wasp sting. Martin Daum, chairman of Daimler’s management board, held the role on an interim basis. 

• "The position of Chief Financial Officer has tragically become vacant. Following an intensive selection process, the Supervisory Board has now filled the position,” Joe Kaeser, chairman of Daimler’s supervisory board, said in a statement contained in the company’s press release.

Dive Insight:

Scherer’s appointment marks a new chapter for Daimler’s C-suite, which was rocked in August by Goetz’s sudden death.

In a personal social media post following Goetz’ passing, Kaeser told a story of a wasp landing on his plate during a birthday meal with his daughter. Rather than brush the insect away, “I started thinking about how such a small insect could kill a strong man, a loving father, and a great manager. Jochen Goetz got killed by such an insect,” the former leader of Siemens Energy AG wrote on LinkedIn.

In the Thursday company release, Kaeser and Michael Brecht, deputy chairman of the supervisory board, both emphasized Scherer’s personal qualities. “In addition to professional expertise, we placed particular emphasis on open-mindedness, diversity, potential and enthusiasm to drive change. Eva Scherer has shown these attributes in a convincing manner,” Kaeser said in the statement. 

For his part, Brecht said in the release that Scherer, “convinced me in seeing herself as a real team player. We need this attitude at Daimler Truck. Because we can only master the historic transformation of our industry if management and employee representatives work together in trust.”

The appointment of Scherer, 40, will be effective April 1, according to a Daimler spokesperson who declined to comment on the 52-year-old Geotz’s cause of death, calling it a “tragic incident.”  

In her own LinkedIn post, Scherer said she had worked for Siemens for more than 20 years and that she was thankful for “everything this incredible company has made possible.” She also said that sustainable transportation has been “a topic that has been close to my heart for a long time” and that she will contribute to it in a “new capacity.”  

At Siemens, Scherer has been EVP and global head of investor relations since October of 2022 and previously held such positions as CFO, Mobility Software and CFO, Rail Infrastructure, according to her LinkedIn profile.  

In November, Daimler reported a “slight decline” in sales volumes compared to the year earlier, which it mainly attributed to “supplier bottlenecks,” according to the company’s earnings release. At the same time, the company’s group revenue rose 3% in the third quarter to €13.9 billion from €13.5 billion year-over-year.

Editor’s note: This story was updated to include a photo of Eva Scherer.