Mercedes-Benz India today, has announced an organisational change in its Sales & Marketing function effective from February 1, 2023. Lance Bennett, currently associated as the General Manager and Company Director, Mercedes-Benz New Zealand, responsible for Sales, Marketing and Aftersales Support for Passenger Cars, has been appointed as the Vice-President – Sales and Marketing, Mercedes-Benz India.

Bennett succeeds Santosh Iyer who, on August 29, 2022, was elevated as the Managing Director & CEO of Mercedes-Benz India, effective January 1, 2023.

Announcing the organisational change, Martin Schwenk, MD and CEO, Mercedes-Benz India commented, “We are excited to welcome Lance Bennett to Mercedes-Benz India. Lance has successfully grown the Mercedes-AMG business in New Zealand and has rich experience across finance, sales, operations and product management functions. He oversaw the implementation of ‘Retail of the Future’ in New Zealand. We are confident that Lance with his international market experience and proven record of driving customer excellence, will continue the growth momentum of Mercedes-Benz in India. I thank both Santosh and Lance for their invaluable contribution to the brand in respective markets and wish them the very best for their new roles.”

At Mercedes-Benz New Zealand, Bennett accomplished outstanding success in growing Mercedes-AMG high-performance vehicle range. He also launched the Mercedes-EQ range of vehicles, growing the segment significantly in New Zealand over the last two years.

During 2021-22, Bennett also oversaw the implementation of Mercedes-Benz’s Direct-to-Consumer business model, which focuses on providing an exceptional customer experience via transparent pricing, access to a national stock pool of vehicles, and offering the capability to purchase vehicles online. This new business model, just like in India, has redefined the way luxury vehicles are purchased in New Zealand.

Bennett began his career with Mercedes-Benz New Zealand in 2005 as a management accountant. He has held several senior positions within the automotive industry, spanning Finance, Sales, Operations and Product Management, including postings in the USA, Australia and New Zealand. He re-joined Mercedes-Benz New Zealand in 2019 as its Chief Financial Officer, moving into the position of General Manager and Company Director in the same year.

Lance Bennett, who is an avid traveler and likes exploring the outdoors with his family, is an automobile enthusiast with a passion for both classic Mercedes-Benz cars and is excited by the future transition to e-mobility. He owns a CLK 55 AMG, which he enjoys driving and working on in the weekends.   

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