Sara Gielen takes over as Head of Operations at Mercedes-Benz Vans

Sara Gielen, currently Head of Production and Site of Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen, will take over as Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans Operations on 1 December 2026. She succeeds Elke Pusskeiler, who will leave the company on 31 January 2027 for personal reasons and by mutual agreement after more than 35 years with the Group.

Sara Gielen joined Mercedes-Benz AG in mid-2024 and has since been responsible for production and site management at the Mercedes-Benz Sindelfingen plant. Prior to this, she held various management positions in the automotive industry for more than 20 years.
In her current role, she is responsible for the future set-up of the production organisation in Sindelfingen, the start of production of the new S-Class and preparations for the production ramp-up of the future all-electric Mercedes-AMG models.

"With Sara Gielen, an internationally experienced production executive is taking responsibility for Mercedes-Benz Vans Operations. Drawing on her many years of production and international management expertise, she will play a key role in shaping the continued development of the global Mercedes-Benz Vans production network. She has already demonstrated her leadership skills and her ability to successfully implement complex transformations on numerous occasions in positions of high responsibility. I am delighted that she will now bring her experience to Mercedes-Benz Vans.

For more than three decades, Elke Pusskeiler has shaped the development of Mercedes-Benz and made a decisive contribution across numerous areas. During her time at Mercedes-Benz Vans, she successfully advanced our global production organisation and strategically positioned our production network for the future. One major milestone was the successful start of VLE production at the Vitoria plant. I would like to express my sincere thanks to Elke Pusskeiler for her outstanding achievements and tireless commitment to the success of Mercedes-Benz Vans. I wish her all the very best for this new chapter in her life."
Thomas Klein, Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans

The Head of Mercedes-Benz Vans Operations is responsible for all production-related functions across manufacturing, engineering, logistics and quality management. Mercedes-Benz Vans has production sites in Germany, Spain, Poland and the USA, as well as production through cooperation partners in China.

Mercedes-Benz Vans: A Tradition of Customer Focus - The Right Solution for Everyone for 130 Years

For 130 years, Mercedes-Benz has been providing customers with tailored solutions for their transport needs. From the very first Benz delivery van, from Sprinter and Vito to vehicles based on the new van architecture such as the new electric Mercedes-Benz VLE, each model embodies the pioneering spirit that Carl Benz demonstrated back in 1896 with the creation of the first commercial vehicle.
Today, Mercedes-Benz Vans caters to a wide range of requirements with its extensive portfolio of both electric and conventionally powered models. Customers can find their ideal configuration either directly from the factory or via certified bodybuilders. In addition to reliability and quality, comfort, digital connectivity, and safety are central promises made to customers.
With a clear focus on the customer and their needs, the brand with the star offers vans and services that make a real difference: comprehensive advice before and after vehicle purchase, a dense network of service centres guaranteeing optimal support for consultation, maintenance, and mobile service - all complemented by Digital Extras optimizing vehicle uptime, in-house financial services, Mercedes-Benz Rent offerings, and innovative charging solutions that make entry into and transition to electromobility easier.
For 130 years, Mercedes-Benz has therefore been the premium provider for the private and commercial transport needs of our clients, regardless of industry or fleet size.

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