Mercedes-Benz Malaysia has announced the appointment of Kevin Barbian as the new Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Mercedes-Benz Cars Malaysia, effective 1 September 2026. Barbian succeeds Nadia Trimmel, who will move into a new role as Sales Director of Mercedes-Benz Vans UK. His appointment comes as Mercedes-Benz Malaysia continues to advance its transformation across digitalisation, retail operations and customer experience.
Barbian brings more than a decade of experience within Mercedes-Benz, having held leadership positions spanning business development, connectivity, digital transformation and customer experience. He began his career with Mercedes-Benz in 2011 as a Business Development Consultant before moving into commercial telematics and B2B services. In 2016, he founded Mercedes-Benz Connectivity Services GmbH, where he served as Head of Sales & Marketing.
His career subsequently expanded into digitalisation and IT transformation. As Digital Lead for Mercedes-EQ, Barbian was involved in the development of innovations including over-the-air software updates and on-demand functions. He later established and scaled the Digital, Data & AI unit within IT Customer Services across several international hubs. Most recently, Barbian led the Retail of the Future programme in Europe. Under his leadership, the programme was successfully implemented in Germany before being rolled out across additional markets. His experience with the transformation of Mercedes-Benz’s retail operations is particularly relevant as the company continues to evolve the customer experience in Malaysia.
“Malaysia is an important and dynamic market for Mercedes-Benz, with tremendous potential for continued growth and innovation,” said Barbian. “I look forward to building on the strong momentum of the business and working alongside our talented team and retail network to further enhance the customer journey. Our focus remains on delivering desirable products, seamless experiences, and meaningful value to our customers.”
Meanwhile, outgoing COO Nadia Trimmel leaves Malaysia following a tenure that saw her play a key role in strengthening the company’s retail and product strategy. Trimmel joined Mercedes-Benz South Africa in 2014 as National Sales Manager for Mercedes-Benz Vans and was appointed Managing Director in 2017. During her time there, she expanded the product portfolio, promoted customer-focused innovation and led a number of business transformation initiatives.
She moved to Mercedes-Benz Malaysia in 2024 as Vice President of Marketing and Sales, where she strengthened cooperation with the retail network and other key stakeholders while driving the company’s Retail of the Future transformation. Trimmel also oversaw the introduction of several important products in Malaysia, including the all-new electric CLA, supporting Mercedes-Benz’s broader electrification and transformation strategy.
Reflecting on her time in Malaysia, Trimmel said the experience had been immensely rewarding and expressed her appreciation to colleagues, retail partners, customers and stakeholders. “From my team and colleagues to our retail partners, customers, and stakeholders, the passion, commitment, and resilience of those around me have made this chapter truly meaningful,” she said. “I would like to thank everyone who has been part of this journey and extend a warm welcome to Kevin. Under his leadership, I am confident the business will build on its strong momentum and reach even greater heights in the years ahead.”
