KUALA LUMPUR: Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has appointed Kevin Barbian as the new chief operating officer (COO) of Mercedes-Benz Cars Malaysia, effective Sept 1, 2026.
He succeeds Nadia Trimmel, who takes on her next assignment as sales director of Mercedes-Benz Vans UK.
“Malaysia is an important and dynamic market for Mercedes-Benz, with tremendous potential for continued growth and innovation. I look forward to building on the strong momentum of the business and working alongside our talented team and retail network to further enhance the customer journey," said Barbian.
"Our focus remains on delivering desirable products, seamless experiences, and meaningful value to our customers,” he added.
Barbian brings extensive experience across business development, digitalisation, and customer experience within Mercedes-Benz.
After beginning his career in 2011 as a business development consultant, he went on to lead commercial telematics and B2B (business-to-business) services before founding Mercedes-Benz Connectivity Services GmbH in 2016, where he served as head of sales and marketing.
Over the past decade, Kevin Barbian has held key leadership roles in IT and digital transformation.
As digital lead for Mercedes-EQ, he drove innovations such as over-the-air updates and on-demand functions, before establishing and scaling the Digital, Data, and AI unit within IT Customer Services across multiple international hubs.
Most recently, he led the Retail of the Future programme in Europe, overseeing its successful implementation in Germany and rollout across additional markets.
Meanwhile, Trimmel said, "My time in Malaysia has been an immensely rewarding experience, and I am proud of what we have accomplished together. From my team and colleagues to our retail partners, customers, and stakeholders, the passion, commitment, and resilience of those around me have made this chapter truly meaningful."
"I would like to thank everyone who has been part of this journey and extend a warm welcome to Kevin. Under his leadership, I am confident the business will build on its strong momentum and reach even greater heights in the years ahead,” she added.
