Mercedes 2013 Annual Report Download - page 20

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In another meeting at the end of April 2013, the Supervisory
Board decided on the reappointment of Dr. Christine
Hohmann-Dennhardt as a member of the Board of Management,
as described on page 18 under “Personnel changes in the
Board of Management.” After that, the Supervisory Board dealt
with the competitive situation of the Group with reference
to detailed benchmark studies. Subsequently, the Supervisory
Board approved the funds for the establishment of another
facility in Romania for the assembly of a new automatic trans-
mission for passenger cars. The Supervisory Board also
approved a capital contribution to the joint venture Beijing Benz
Automotive Co., which required additional investment to
increase its production capacities in the context of the “China
2020” growth strategy. Furthermore, the Supervisory Board
approved the funds required for the development of spare-part
logistics in China. In the same meeting, within the context of
a report on Daimler India Commercial Vehicles, the Supervisory
Board received detailed information on the development of
the Indian market for commercial vehicles. Finally, the Super-
visory Board dealt with the end of the monitorship and of
the deferred prosecution agreement after Daimler had success-
fully complied with all settlements with the Department
of Justice of the United States (DOJ) and the US Securities
and Exchange Commission (SEC).
Following discussion of the course of business and the results
of the second quarter, in its meeting in July, the Supervisory
Board received information on the macroeconomic development
of the main markets and on the current situation of Daimler
in China. The Supervisory Board also received detailed reports
on the G-Class product area and on AMG, and was informed
about the status and further development of the van cooperation
between Daimler and Volkswagen. In the same meeting, the
Supervisory Board also dealt with the topics for the upcoming
strategy workshop in September.
During that two-day strategy workshop in September, as in the
previous strategy meetings, the Supervisory Board received
information on to what extent the strategic goals of Daimler AG
and the divisions as presented by the Board of Management
in the previous years had already been achieved. Against the
backdrop of the current economic situation, the Supervisory
Board discussed the stage of implementation reached by the
projects initiated in the individual divisions. Other topics
discussed were the positioning of the Group and its divisions
with regard to the competition and the brand and product
strategies.
Furthermore, the Supervisory Board received detailed informa-
tion on the product portfolio of Mercedes-Benz Cars and
discussed in particular the brand positioning and the marketing
and product strategy of Mercedes-Benz Cars. The Supervisory
Board also discussed the results of the externally moderated
efficiency review. It thus complied with both a recommendation
of the German Corporate Governance Code and the corre-
sponding requirement of its rules of procedure. The results indi-
cate very good cooperation within the Supervisory Board and
with the Board of Management. Only a few isolated suggestions
were made concerning further efficiency enhancements.
Those suggestions, for example on the organization of the annual
strategy workshop of the Supervisory Board, have meanwhile
been acted upon and implemented. Finally, the Supervisory Board
dealt with topics of Board of Management remuneration
and approved the external board positions and sideline business
activities of the members of the Board of Management as
presented in the meeting.
In the meeting of the Supervisory Board held straight after
the Annual Shareholders’ Meeting on April 10, 2013, in which
Sari Baldauf was reelected as a member of the Supervisory
Board, the members of the Supervisory Board representing the
shareholders elected Sari Baldauf as a member of the Nomi-
nation Committee. Furthermore, the members representing the
shareholders elected Dr. Jürgen Hambrecht, who had also
been reelected to the Supervisory Board in the Annual Share-
holders’ Meeting, once again as a member of the Mediation
Committee and of the Presidential Committee. In addition, the
Supervisory Board passed resolutions concerning the mem-
bers representing the employees, who had already been elected
on March 13, 2013. In this context, the Supervisory Board
elected Erich Klemm as the Deputy Chairman of the Supervisory
Board, Erich Klemm and Michael Brecht as members of the
Audit Committee, and Jörg Hofmann as a member of the Presi-
dential Committee. Finally, the members of the Supervisory
Board representing the employees elected Jörg Hofmann as a
member of the Mediation Committee. Erich Klemm was also
elected by the members of the Audit Committee as the Deputy
Chairman of the Audit Committee.
Also in April, the Supervisory Board dealt with the dissolution
of the EADS shareholders’ pact and the disposal of the
remaining approximately 7.4% of the EADS shares held by
Daimler and approved the intended action.