BMW’s new chief executive Harald Krüger suddenly collapsed on the stage 5 minutes into the press conference, while he was presenting the company’s new models at the International Auto Show in Frankfurt.
Harald Krüger, 49, was presenting the company’s environmental friendly BMW i8, when he seemed to lose balance, staggered backwards and then collapsed on the floor. He was escorted off the stage by two men who hurried to help him.
It was the first appearance at a major show for Krüger since he took over the position in the Munich-based car luxury company in May.
BMW representatives later stated that: “Harald Krüger experienced a moment of dizziness. Mr Krüger’s health is now stable and he is recovering well.”
“He had undertaken a lot of travel immediately before this and had said he had been feeling slightly unwell before going on stage but insisted on going on with the press conference”, said BMW spokesman Maximilian Schoberl.
The doctor that saw him right after the incident credits the stress and exhaustion of the past few days for Mr. Krüger’s moment of weakness. Even though he lost balance, he kept conscious all the time. He did not need to be admitted into hospital.
The BMW press conference was cancelled. Chief financial officer Friedrich Eichiner took over the press roundtable that was held afterwards.
