Şenol Bayrak Takes Office as the New President of Mercedes-Benz Automotive
Following his grandfather's migration story in 1964, Şenol Bayrak has returned to Turkey as the third generation and become the Executive Board Chairman of Mercedes-Benz Automotive.
Şenol Bayrak, the new president of Mercedes-Benz Automotive, has turned his family's dream of returning to Turkey—which began when his grandfather emigrated to Germany in 1964—into reality as a third-generation descendant.
A Journey from Abroad Back to Turkey
Originally from Çatalca, Istanbul, Şenol Bayrak's grandfather emigrated in 1964 to work near Stuttgart, the headquarters of Mercedes-Benz. The family's long-held dream of returning to Turkey was realized by their third-generation grandson, Şenol Bayrak.
International Career and New Assignment
Having started working within Mercedes-Benz in 2003, Şenol Bayrak moved from Germany to Turkey in July following various important assignments in the USA, China, and Germany. A graduate of Goethe University Frankfurt, Department of Business Administration, Bayrak most recently served as Sales Operations Manager in Stuttgart.
The Handover Process
Şenol Bayrak took over the position of Chairman of the Executive Board and Automobile Group President of Mercedes-Benz Automotive from Şükrü Bekdikhan, who retired on June 30, 2026. He started his new role with the launch meeting of the new electric C-Class in Istanbul.
New Electric C-Class and the Turkish Market
Introduced in Istanbul, the new electric C-Class C 400 4MATIC AMG offers a range of up to 709 kilometers according to WLTP norms, while providing an additional 320 kilometers of range with a 10-minute fast charge. The starting price of the model in Turkey has been set at 6.3 million TL.
Turkey's Place in Global Sales
Şenol Bayrak stated that Turkey ranked fourth in the world in C-Class sales last year, following China, the USA, and Germany. He also stated that the brand's electric vehicle sales in Turkey have reached a share of 29 percent of total sales.