Autoindustrie: BMW schrumpft Topmanagement um ein Fünftel

BMW aims to simplify its structure and become more agile by reducing the number of "areas and associated management functions" by 20% by mid-2027, according to the company. This reduction will initially affect higher-level areas, but will also impact lower management levels. BMW has already announced a voluntary job reduction program in all areas except production, with around 8,000 employees expected to cut back globally.

Many of these jobs will be in administration and development in Germany. CEO Milan Nedeljkovic stated that the Munich-based organization is "simply too big" and that they need to become smaller and more adaptable. The company's German production line is currently well-staffed and will be exempt from the job reduction program. The main challenge for BMW is to get costs under control, enabling it to compete with lower prices and appropriate contribution margins on the global market.

BMW plans to focus more on regionalization, especially in China, for manufacturing, development, and procurement. This includes the possibility of exporting BMW vehicles from China to Southeast Asian markets in the future. BMW is also exploring the use of artificial intelligence to identify when existing solutions or parts from suppliers can be used instead of developing new ones, potentially saving costs.

The upcoming 3er generation will not offer a diesel engine, but this is not a fundamental decision against the turbocharger, according to Nedeljkovic.