. BMW Financial Services Names Edward A.
Robinson new Head of Operations North and Latin America
Woodcliff
Lake, NJ - March 29, 2005... Georg Bauer, CEO of BMW Financial
Services worldwide, announced that Edward A. Robinson has
been named chief executive officer for the BMW Financial
Services, Americas Region, covering all operations in the
U.S., Canada and Latin America, effective April 1, 2005.
Robinson will assume duties handled by John Christman, who
upon completion of a transition period, will take an international
assignment with the BMW Group.
Edward A. Robertson
Robinson has been
executive vice president - operations for BMW of North America,
LLC, responsible for sales of automobiles and sports activity vehicles,
dealer development activities and field operations in the company's
four U.S. regions since June 2002. During his tenure, the organization
experienced record sales to become the largest sales subsidiary
for the BMW Group.
Prior to 2002,
Robinson was vice president - operations for BMW, a position he
assumed in January 2001 after serving as vice president - motorcycles
for BMW of North America from 1998 to 2001. Under his leadership,
BMW posted record motorcycle sales in the U.S. and entered new segments
of the motorcycle market, which significantly strengthened and expanded
the motorcycle model line.
Since joining BMW of North
America in 1979, Robinson has served in a variety of positions including
sales, service marketing and field operations. He was president and chief
executive officer of BMW Canada, Inc. from 1992 to 1997, and was instrumental
in establishing its financial services division in 1994.
Robinson earned a master's
degree in business administration from St. John's University in New York
and received his post-masters certificate in financial management at Iona
College. Robinson has also completed the Harvard Law School's program on
negotiation.
"BMW Financial Services
will be introducing new products to customers and is poised for continued
growth in the years ahead. These opportunities are clearly supported by
the strong team developed under John Christman's leadership, as evidenced
by impressive accolades and honors received in the last couple of years,"
Bauer said. "Robinson brings to Financial Services significant experience
from the automotive side of the business which will be invaluable to our
future growth and strategic development."
BMW Financial Services,
Americas Region, has a portfolio of managed assets totaling more than $18.5
billion, with nearly $18 billion of that from the U.S. market. The organization
supports more than 500,000 customers in the Americas and leases or finances
more than half of the new BMW vehicles sold in the U.S.
