Executive Shuffle: Opel Appoints Tina Müller As Chief Marketing Officer, Management Board Member

Effective August 1, 2013, General Motors’ European subsidiary Adam Opel AG will have itself a new head of marketing in 44 year-old Tina Müller, who joins the storied European brand as its new Chief Marketing Officer and a Member of the Board of Management responsible for Brand Management.

The newly-created position, according to Opel, underscores the importance of brand management as a vital element to the brand’s strategy.

“After the successful launch of our latest models, a key to future success is to modernize, profile and emotionalize the brand,” said Opel Supervisory Board Chairman Steve Girsky. “We are delighted to have acquired a renowned expert for this task with Tina Müller.”

The addition of Ms. Müller and her position results in an adjustment to Duncan Aldred’s role, who was responsible for marketing and sales/aftersales operations at Adam Opel AG. With the change, Mr. Duncan will remain Acting GM Europe Vice President, Sales & Aftersales of Opel/Vauxhall and Chairman and Managing Director of Vauxhall Motors.

“With her valuable experience in the brand-driven consumer goods industry, Tina Müller will have a major impact on the Opel brand,” says Opel CEO Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann. “The new role of Chief Marketing Officer within the Executive Board and the separation of marketing and sales show the high importance we attach to the subject of brand management. We will give the brand back the shine it deserves.”

“In the highly competitive European market, Duncan Aldred can now concentrate on sales and aftersales,” Dr. Neumann added.

The hiring and appointment of Ms. Müller, as well as the adjustment of Mr. Aldred’s role at Opel, coincides with the appointment of Dr. Thomas Sedran to the position of President and Managing Director of Chevrolet Europe.

Stay tuned as we assess what the changes mean for GM’s European operations.

About Tina Müller

Ms. Müller began her career at L’Oréal Germany, subsequently moving to Wella AG. She then worked with Henkel KGaA for 17 years.

As Corporate Senior Vice President, she was most recently responsible for the region of Western Europe in the Beauty Care division and also made a significant contribution to the strong growth of the brand portfolio, particularly the tradition-rich brand Schwarzkopf, as chief marketing officer for its global business in hair cosmetics, body, facial and oral care.

Ms. Müller, according to Opel, is a widely recognized brand expert, having been named “European Chief Marketing Officer of the Year” (Booz Company) in 2010 as well as “Marketing Manager of the Year” three times by the “W & V” magazine.