Mercedes-Benz USA names new VP for customer service

Dianna du Preez, a more than 30-year Daimler veteran, has been appointed vice president of customer services at Mercedes-Benz USA.

Du Preez, 55, replaces Christian Treiber, who is leaving after 28 years at Daimler. Du Preez takes over May 1.

It’s the latest change in management in Mercedes-Benz’s second-biggest market. Mercedes’ U.S. business is on its second CEO since 2019. Dimitris Psillakis took over as CEO on Jan. 1 after previous chief Nicholas Speeks left the company after less than a year in the top job.

In her new role, du Preez will oversee customer service operations, engineering services, after-sales business development and parts logistics, Mercedes-Benz Academy and MBUSA’s customer assistance center. Du Preez will report to Psillakis.

“Dianna is a proven leader whose broad experience and steadfast focus to advance our customer experience will continue to be a great asset for our company,” Psillakis said in a statement.

Du Preez began her Daimler career as a sales planner for Mercedes-Benz South Africa, and holding positions in sales, aftersales and IT.

In 2003, du Preez moved to Germany where she was appointed senior manager for Daimler’s Center of Competence for Dealership Management Systems in Stuttgart.

Two years later, she returned to Mercedes-Benz South Africa to assume the position of senior manager, network support.

Du Preez joined MBUSA in 2007 as general manager of parts logistics before serving as CIO and then as the general manager of Mercedes-Benz Academy. Since 2018, she has been general manager of vehicle distribution and logistics.