Just before stepping down as CEO, Oliver Zipse was still wrestling with his decision to launch the car‑sharing venture. “Maybe that should have been decided differently” he told RTL/ntv. The split from the ShareNow joint venture with Mercedes‑Benz happened in 2022 after the partnership suffered heavy losses.
Despite the current industry slump, Zipse kept a calm tone. BMW follows an open‑technology policy, worldwide connectivity and customer‑centric products. “We offer every type of powertrain and have strong brands. We don’t need to re‑steer right now – we’re staying the course”.
Against the backdrop of a sluggish German economy, he called for more entrepreneurial energy instead of complaining. “It’s about competitiveness. Germany’s strength lies in international connections – an advantage we shouldn’t abandon lightly”.
On his own future, Zipse said, “I’m looking forward to less back‑to‑back crunching, but retirement is not on my agenda. Stay tuned for surprises”.
