MULTI-BRAND truck distributor Daimler Truck Asia Pacific (DTAP) has announced changes to its management structure in which each brand no longer has a vice president, which the company says is part of prioritising a singular focus on its customers.

To that end and to simplify its operations and make customer interaction easier, the company’s Australian local arm is now arranged as a fully-integrated brand-agnostic structure with no division along the brand lines of Mercedes-Benz Trucks, Freightliner and Fuso.

Under the changes, Daniel Whitehead retains his position of president and CEO while former Mercedes-Benz Trucks Australia Pacific vice president Andrew Assimo takes on the overarching role of vice president, sales and marketing for Daimler Truck Australia Pacific, covering all three brands.

In a similar move, former Freightliner Australia Pacific vice president Stephen Downes is now vice president of service, product, vehicle processing centre (VPC) and elite support.

Alexander Muller, who was Fuso Truck and Bus Australia vice president, has taken on a special projects role for the company.

However, Fuso continues as a separate entity in New Zealand, where it is managed by Keith Andrews Trucks (KAT), which works closely with Daimler Trucks Australia Pacific.

DTAC says it is confident the new structure, which mirrors the framework adopted in key parts of the Daimler Truck world, will lead to a better experience for its customers.

“The new Daimler Truck Australia Pacific structure takes into account feedback from our customers and dealers and addresses brand fragmentation, allowing us to better serve our customers with one face,” commented Mr Whitehead.

“It’s the best-practice model of the Daimler Truck organisation globally and it is also the way that most of our leading dealerships are structured, so we are confident our customers will really benefit from the change,” he added.

DTAC is preparing for 2024 to be a “milestone” year with the introduction of second-generation electric Fuso eCanter and new Mercedes-Benz eActros trucks.

By Peter Barnwell