BMW M, the high performance division of the German automaker has appointed Alexander Karajlovic at head of development, succeeding Dirk Häcker who will retire at the end of his tenure after 11 years as head of development and 37 years at BMW Group.
Karajlovic was previously project manager for the XM and in charge of M derivatives of the brand’s X model SUVs from November 2017 until end-2020, and then vice president of the M product line from January 2021 to May 2023. Karajlovic then worked in requirements, concepts and driving experience integration in BMW Group Development, before returning to the M division for his latest post.
His predecessor, Dirk Häcker will retire from the manufacturer having began with the BMW Group in 1988, and Häcker has held leadership positions with focus on driving dynamics and later, vehicle development since 2001, according to the manufacturer; Häcker became in charge of development at BMW M in 2015.
Häcker has also complemented his leadership roles with serving as a driving instructor under BMW Driving Experience, the carmaker added.
“Dirk Häcker’s departure sees the long-term Head of Development at BMW M GmbH bow out to start his well-earned retirement. His name is inextricably linked with an unprecedented product offensive, superior product quality and yearly sales records at BMW M,” said BMW M CEO Franciscus van Meel.
We are delighted to have found in Alexander Karajlovic an expert who, in addition to having worked at BMW M before, comes with a proven track record of chassis development know-how enabling him to take the helm and continue this legacy of success,” van Meel added.
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