Karin Rådström is steering Daimler Truck in a new direction as the world's biggest truckmaker faces a growing challenge from China | Fortune

Karin Rådström, CEO of Daimler Truck since 2024, is steering the world’s largest commercial-vehicle maker as it faces intensifying pressure from China. The Swede became only the second woman to lead a DAX 40 company and one of 43 women CEOs in the Fortune 500 Europe, and the story highlights how her leadership has coincided with gains for Daimler Truck. Since taking the role, the company’s share price has risen from €33.15 to €46.24, and zero-emissions vehicle sales grew 67% in 2025. Rådström points to headwinds including supply-chain disruptions, semiconductor shortages, the war in Ukraine, geopolitical issues and U.S. tariffs. She has pushed a culture shift toward operating “simpler, faster, and stronger,” reflecting her view that waiting for 100% of information can mean missing opportunities.