OUTSTANDING LEADER
STEFANIE WURST
In two years, the Mini boss has ushered in a bold new generation of models, revived its brand image and given the BMW Group’s oldest factor y a new electric future. She tells Mark Tisshaw how
Wurst became head of Mini – “a democratic brand” – in early 2022
Few guardianships of brands have been as successful as that of Mini under BMW. We say guardianship because it is so much more than ownership, given Mini’s unique place in British culture, the wealth of personal stories involving its cars and, as a result, the emotional investment that people place in the brand and its development.
The person tasked with directing this guardianship recently is Stefanie Wurst, who took over as head of the Mini brand in early 2022, having previously led the BMW Group in the Netherlands.
She joined at a time when the marque was heading towards something of an identity crisis. In the words of BMW board member Jochen Goller, Mini had become “a little bit too generic”. The standard hatchback’s proportions looked bloated and the brand was portraying itself with a more serious tone. Its iconic Oxford plant was also in need of investment if it was to be able to go fully electric.