Outgoing BMW chief Oliver Zipse has never reached the superstar league of CEOs in terms of visibility, quotability or any of the metrics that make for a colourful story in the seven years he's been in charge.
But there's no questioning his effectiveness. Amid a sea of industry red ink from 2025 financial results, BMW sailed serenely into headwinds such as falling Chinese sales, US tariffs and wild swings in EV take-up to record a group margin of 7.7% from profits of more than €7 billion (£6bn).
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Zipse's low-profile leadership style delivered BMW a 7.7% margin amid industry-wide struggles.
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His success proves effective CEOs don't need celebrity status to navigate market turbulence.
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BMW outperformed rivals facing Chinese sales drops and EV market volatility in 2025.
