The winds of change are blowing at BMW, as the Supervisory Board has appointed a new CEO. Milan Nedeljković will replace Oliver Zipse at the helm of the luxury automaker on May 14, 2026. The corporate shakeup isn’t a surprise, given the company’s age limit for board of management members, typically set at 60.
BMW has actually bent the rules for Oliver Zipse, who turned 60 last year. By the time he steps down from the board of management, he’ll be 62. BMW will also make an exception for his successor, considering Milan Nedeljković is already 56 and will be roughly the same age as the outgoing CEO when his contract expires in 2031.
Previously in charge of production, BMW’s new boss arrives amid a colossal product blitz. The lineup renewal recently kicked off with the 2026 iX3 and will continue with 40 facelifted and next-generation models arriving by late 2027. Oliver Zipse laid the foundation for this unprecedented product onslaught under the revived Neue Klasse banner.
Next year will be particularly busy for the company bearing the famous roundel. BMW has already confirmed it’ll introduce the eighth-generation 3 Series and the i3 electric sedan. In 2026, the fifth-gen X5 will also debut, offered for the first time as a battery-electric vehicle. A hydrogen fuel cell derivative, developed with Toyota, is planned as well, but won’t arrive before 2028.
Meanwhile, BMW will roll out the 7 Series facelift in 2026, when we might also see the return of the X4, this time exclusively as the fully electric iX4. And beyond Mini, Rolls-Royce, and the Motorrad motorcycle division, BMW now has another brand under its corporate umbrella. Following its acquisition of Alpina in early 2022, the company will set a new direction for the niche marque next year. The Alpina 7 Series is expected to return, followed shortly by a new X7.
If reports are accurate, BMW’s lineup will grow to include at least three new models before the end of the decade. We’ve already covered a potential rugged SUV designed to take on the Mercedes G-Class and Land Rover Defender. It’s said to be loosely based on the next-gen X5 and offered with plug-in hybrid and electric drivetrains.
The other two additions will allegedly serve as entry-level EVs: a five-door hatchback potentially called the i1, followed by a four-door sedan rumored to be the i2. The EV surge will also include the iX4 and iX5 mentioned earlier, and likely an iX6 and iX7. An i3 Touring for wagon fans is also a strong possibility before 2030.
The polarizing iX is unlikely to be renewed, given BMW's plans for several large electric SUVs in the same segment. The even more striking XM may also be living on borrowed time due to poor sales, although nothing is confirmed.
Milan Nedeljković has his work cut out for him as he juggles a refreshed portfolio, Europe's stricter emissions regulations, and mounting competition from China.
Since 2019, Oliver Zipse has successfully led BMW, with the Munich-based company comfortably beating Mercedes and Audi in the luxury sales race. He also had to steer BMW through the challenging years of the coronavirus pandemic, all while preparing for everything Neue Klasse entails.
Source: BMW
