Daimler Financial Services appointed Udo Neumann, who currently serves as vice president and chief information officer for Mercedes-Benz Financial Services USA, global chief information officer.

In this role, Neumann will be responsible for the company’s information technology strategy worldwide. He will remain located in the U.S. to leverage fast-paced developments in the technology and startup sectors on a global scale.

“With Udo’s exceptional record of success and leadership in the IT space, I am confident he will continue to build and expand our global digital transformation strategy, said Kaus Entenmann, chairman of the board of Daimler Financial Services. “By positioning this critical leadership role in the U.S., we will further strengthen our connection to the disruptive trends and emerging technologies of the Silicon Valley innovation ecosystem, as well as the global overall tech industry, to bring the digital solutions to market that meet the evolving needs of our business, our customers and our dealers.”

Neumann has more than 18 years of experience in the financial services and automotive sectors. He has worked in the European, North American, South American and Asia Pacific markets to successfully design technology solutions that improved the company’s operations and supported global business strategies.

Most recently, this included overseeing a strategic enterprise-wide initiative in the U.S. and Canada that delivered an innovative technology solution to replace the company’s core contract management systems and establish the foundation for future digital expansion.

His notable accomplishments also include fully developing an online banking system for Mercedes-Benz Bank in Germany, as well as integrating the company’s financial services and sales IT organizations to build synergies and improve efficiency.