Daimler Truck Australia CEO Daniel Whitehead to step down after 30‑year tenure

Daniel Whitehead, president and chief executive of Daimler Truck Australia Pacific, announced he will leave the role at the end of the year, concluding a 30‑year career with Daimler Truck and Mercedes‑Benz. He spent 12 years leading the Australian business after a decade in China, during which the company grew to become Australia’s second‑largest truck manufacturer.

Under his leadership the firm introduced several new heavy‑vehicle models – the Mercedes‑Benz Actros in 2016, the Fuso Shogun in 2019 and the Freightliner Cascadia in 2020 – and launched its first electric trucks, starting with the Fuso eCanter in 2021 followed by the Mercedes‑Benz eActros and eEconic. Daimler Truck was the first manufacturer to bring an electric truck to the Australian market. Whitehead also oversaw the rollout of advanced safety technologies and low‑emission engines across Australian and New Zealand operations, often ahead of regulatory requirements. He continues to serve on the board of the Heavy Vehicle Industry Association (HVIA).