BMW to hire ex-audi sales chief

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW), the world’s largest maker of luxury cars, plans to hire Peter Schwarzenbauer, the former Audi AG sales chief, as part of an effort to tighten its grip on the premium segment’s top spot, three people familiar with the matter said.

Schwarzenbauer will likely join the Munich, Germanybased company next month and take a top-level management position reporting directly to Chief Executive Officer Norbert Reithofer, said the people, who asked not to be identified because the talks haven’t been finalized yet.

BMW’s supervisory board will probably discuss the appointment tomorrow, the people said. Bill McAndrews, a BMW spokesman, said the automaker does not comment on “personnel speculation.”

BMW and Audi are battling it out for the top sales position in premium autos, with the BMW brand securing a 407-car lead in the first two months. Schwarzenbauer, Audi’s sales chief for more than four years, led the brand’s expansion by raising its U.S. presence, boosting sales in China and gaining market share in Europe. He left in August as part of a broader management reshuffle by parent Volkswagen AG. (VOW)

“He’s certainly a distinguished guy and lots speaks for his talent,” said Juergen Pieper, an analyst with Bankhaus Metzler in Frankfurt who recommends selling BMW shares. “Audi was riding a growth wave” during his tenure as sales chief.