O‘Leary new CEO at Daimler Trucks North America

John O’Leary

The board of management of Daimler Truck AG has appointed John O’Leary, 60, as the next president and CEO of Daimler Trucks North America (DTNA).

Effective April 1, O’Leary succeeds Roger Nielsen, 60, who retires effective April 30, 2021 after 35 years at the company, the last four years as its president and CEO.

O’Leary started at DTNA with Freightliner in 2000 and later led DTNA’s U.S. school bus business as the president and CEO of Thomas Built Buses. From 2010, O´Leary was the senior vice president for the Aftermarket business before becoming the CFO of DTNA in 2012 under then-president Martin Daum and then Nielsen. Since last September, O’Leary has been the chief transformation officer for Mercedes-Benz Trucks in Germany, and also led the Mercedes-Benz Truck organization until the start of Karin Radström in February.

“John O’Leary has more than 20 years of experience at DTNA and knows the North American commercial vehicle business like no other,” said Daum, president and CEO of Daimler Truck AG. “As CFO of DTNA and lately as chief transformation officer of Mercedes-Benz Trucks he has proven that his experience and knowledge make him just the right person to successfully lead DTNA into the future.”

Nielsen has been the president and CEO of DTNA since 2017. He began his career in 1986 as a Freightliner manufacturing engineer responsible for wiring harness testing, followed by management positions in manufacturing, supply-chain-management and as chief operating officer from 2001 to 2016.

Headquartered in Portland, Ore., DTNA produces and markets commercial vehicles under the Freightliner, Western Star and Thomas Built Buses nameplates.