Dr. Rolf Bartke, born in Schwarmstedt in 1947, studied at the University of Karlsruhe from 1968 to 1973 and gained his PhD in 1976.

An industrial engineer, he began his professional career at Daimler-Benz’s Gaggenau plant as assistant to the plant management. From 1976 to 1981, he was managing director of the commercial agents Unimat GmbH in Düsseldorf. In 1981, Dr. Rolf Bartke returned to Gaggenau, where he was responsible for Marketing and Sales Planning for Unimog and MB-trac. From 1985 to 1989, he was involved in Corporate Planning with responsibility for Commercial Vehicle Planning and Projects, and was then responsible for planning and controlling in Commercial Vehicle Development. From 1991 to 1995, he was managing director of Nutzfahrzeug Ludwigsfelde GmbH and of Entwicklungsgesellschaft fuer Kraftfahrzeuge GmbH, a company affiliated with Mercedes-Benz AG which became a subsidiary in 1994.

Since July 1995 until March 2006, Dr. Rolf Bartke has been Head of the Business Unit Vans at DaimlerChrysler AG.