FRANKFURT -- BMW CEO Harald Krueger is recovering well after collapsing during the carmaker's presentation at the Frankfurt auto show on Tuesday and likely will be back at his desk next week, his predecessor Norbert Reithofer said.
"I spoke to [Krueger] by telephone, and I can confirm he is feeling much better. I expect that he will back at work next week,” Reithofer told Automotive News Europe today on the sidelines of the show.
Kruger, 49, swayed and then fell on his back during the briefing on Tuesday morning. It was his first major presentation since taking the CEO job in May when Reithofer became BMW chairman.
Krueger had just returned from trips abroad and had not been feeling well Tuesday morning before the press conference, BMW said after the incident.
BMW said Krueger had experienced "a moment of dizziness” and that, after an examination by a doctor, his health was found to be “stable and he is recovering well.” The CEO is not facing longer-term health concerns, BMW said.
The automaker cancelled all appointments for Krueger on Tuesday so he could return to Munich to take time off to fully recover.
Krueger is expected to unveil an update of the company’s strategy by the end of this year that focuses heavily on the digital transformation of the industry as millennials become an even more important target audience.