05.10.2023
Markus Flasch takes over the position as Head of BMW Motorrad. He succeeds Markus Schramm, who led BMW Motorrad to the top position in the global premium motorcycle market and is retiring after five very successful years as Head of BMW Motorrad.
Munich: Markus Flasch will take over the position as Head of BMW Motorrad on 1 November 2023. In his current role as product line manager, Flasch is responsible for the development and conception of all BMW vehicles in the middle and luxury classes as well as the Rolls-Royce brand. The passionate motorcyclist has worked for the BMW Group since 2015 and was previously Head of BMW M GmbH, among others. Under his leadership, BMW M GmbH rose to become the world’s leading supplier of performance and high-performance cars as well as the fusion of BMW M GmbH with BMW Motorsport. He succeeds Markus Schramm, who started his successful career with the BMW Group in 1991. After numerous management positions in sales, aftersales, controlling, group planning and product strategy, the passionate motorcyclist Schramm took over the position as Head of BMW Motorrad in May 2018 and, after several record results, led the brand to number 1 in the global premium motorcycle market for the first time. Following the record 2022 result with 202,895 motorcycles and scooters handed over to customers, BMW Motorrad is targeting another record result in its 100th anniversary year.
As a highlight of the brand’s anniversary celebrations, the Chairman of the Board of Management of BMW AG, Oliver Zipse, and the Head of BMW Motorrad, Dr. Markus Schramm, in the presence of the Federal Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany, Olaf Scholz and Berlin’s Governing Mayor Kai Wegner, opened the new BMW Motorrad Welt in Berlin on 28 September 2023. The highlight of the opening ceremony was the world premiere of the new BMW R 1300 GS, which continues the success story of the GS models.
Under the leadership of Markus Schramm, BMW Motorrad experienced the most successful years in the company’s history. Today, the brand is at the forefront of the global premium motorcycle market. The introduction of the M brand at BMW Motorrad with the uncompromising performance models M 1000 RR, M 1000 R and M 1000 XR, the entry into the world’s largest motorcycle segment of cruisers with the R 18 family, an unparalleled model and innovation campaign with new products that shape their respective segments, and the expansion of the BMW Motorrad brand into a highly emotional experience brand are exemplary guarantees of BMW Motorrad’ s success story under the leadership of Markus Schramm. Schramm and his team also set the strategic course for the transformation of BMW Motorrad towards sustainable individual mobility. With the all-electric CE 04, BMW Motorrad impressively dominates the two-wheeled electric mobility segment over 11 kW worldwide with around 70%. With CE 02, the next all-electric premium offering from BMW Motorrad for emission-free urban mobility will follow in spring 2024. From 2026, more BMW Motorrad segments will be electrified.
Dr. Markus Schramm: “For me personally, as a passionate motorcyclist, the management of BMW Motorrad marked the emotional highlight of my career with the BMW Group. Leading the brand to this historic success with my highly motivated, passionate and professional team at BMW Motorrad and to have set the course for a successful future for BMW Motorrad makes me simply proud. It was a great time with a great team. I am now delighted that with Markus Flasch, an experienced colleague and motorcycle enthusiast will succeed me as Head of BMW Motorrad. With his extensive brand, product and sales expertise, he will provide important impulses to further expand BMW Motorrad’ s leading position in our industry and continue our success story.”
“As a passionate motorcyclist, I am delighted to build on BMW Motorrad’ s great successes so far and, together with the highly motivated BMW Motorrad team, to do everything I can to lead our fascinating brand into a successful future,” says Markus Flasch, commenting on his new task.
The BMW Group
With its four brands BMW, MINI, Rolls-Royce and BMW Motorrad, the BMW Group is the world’s leading premium manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles and also provides premium financial and mobility services. The BMW Group production network comprises over 30 production sites worldwide; the company has a global sales network in more than 140 countries.
In 2022, the BMW Group sold nearly 2.4 million passenger vehicles and more than 202,000 motorcycles worldwide. The profit before tax in the financial year 2022 was € 23.5 billion on revenues amounting to € 142.6 billion. As of 31 December 2022, the BMW Group had a workforce of 149,475 employees.
The success of the BMW Group has always been based on long-term thinking and responsible action. The company set the course for the future at an early stage and consistently makes sustainability and efficient resource management central to its strategic direction, from the supply chain through production to the end of the use phase of all products.
