DETROIT -- Cadillac appointed long-time BMW executive Dan Creed its top sales chief for North America.
Creed will assume his role as vice president of sales operations on Jan. 16, reporting to Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen. He replaces current sales chief Jim Bunnell, who has been reassigned to another executive position in General Motors North America, Cadillac said in a statement.
Creed will oversee sales and service in North America, Cadillac's largest region, including "development and execution of retail sales and customer experience strategies," Cadillac said.
“Dan has a solid track record in the luxury sector and will provide valuable input to the crafting of Cadillac’s sales and service strategy,” de Nysschen said in the statement. “I look forward to partnering with Dan as we continue to elevate our brand experience within the premium automotive sector.”
Creed most recently served as vice president of the eastern region for BMW of North America, where he oversaw 95 dealerships. During a 12-year career at the German luxury automaker, he also held senior leadership posts in marketing and aftersales.
He becomes the point man for Cadillac’s retail strategy under a broader brand revitalization plan overseen by de Nysschen, who joined Cadillac in August 2014.
De Nysschen wants to elevate the level of service and sophistication of Cadillac’s U.S. dealerships to meet the expectations of both import and younger luxury buyers. The brand had 928 U.S. dealerships last year, according to the most recent census.
“These people have got very clear expectations of their brands and products and what the overall dealerships experience should be, which is pretty far removed from what might have been the day-to-day experience of many of our dealer partners,” de Nysschen told Automotive News in August.
Many Cadillac dealers “might be delivering to a standard, but it’s a standard way short of what a future Cadillac buyer will demand,” he said. “It’s an uphill journey.”
De Nysschen has explored possible future technology investments and “boutique”-style showrooms for smaller stores as part of a future incentive program to coax dealers to raise their games.
Cadillac's U.S. sales rose 2.6 percent last year to 175,267 vehicles vs. a 7.7 percent gain for the overall luxury market.
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