Daimler Chief Unfazed by NAFTA Talk
Photo: John G. Smith
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Photo: John G. Smith
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MADRAS, Ore. – Roger Nielsen, the recently named president and chief executive officer of Daimler Trucks North America, doesn’t seem concerned by talk about renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement – even though its manufacturing footprint includes Mexico.
“We’re a global company, and globally we believe in free trade. And we’re prepared to engage everybody and anybody in discussions,” he said during his first media briefing. “I don’t anticipate any major changes in the NAFTA.”
The company has reserve manufacturing capacity in the U.S. and Mexico, he noted. The supply chain is also dual-sourced. “They have the ability to source worldwide or source domestically.”
Daimler’s global presence was recently punctuated when Nielsen’s predecessor, Martin Daum, was promoted to lead Daimler Trucks and Buses worldwide. Then Nielsen received the call that put him in his current role.
“I was absolutely in shock,” he says. “I never really thought that would be the next step in my life.” But he earned the role, and there have been several executive promotions at the company since, many of which were set up by Daum.
Nielsen himself served as the company’s chief operating officer since 2001. And he clearly likes to keep in close touch with staff and products alike. He often grabs a truck on display in front of the company’s corporate headquarters to head out for lunch. And he makes random calls to the call center to see if the answers align with corporate approaches.
Aspects of his previous role will undeniably influence the work he does today. “I bring in a view of being responsible for product quality,” he says. “Quality in the factory is service quality.”
But the role of president and CEO is undeniably different. “I now understand my opinion counts,” he says, illustrating the comment by referring to a Tweet he questioned. …Read the rest of this story
