VISIONARY DISRUPTOR OF THE YEAR

Michael Schiebe - CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD OF MANAGEMENT OF MERCEDES-AMG AND HEAD OF MERCEDEZ-BENZ G-CLASS & MERCEDES-MAYBACH UNITS

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MICHAEL SCHIEBE'S LIST OF current—and past—job titles is extensive. He is the chairman of the board of management of Mercedes-AMG, the performance arm of the company, and head of Mercedes-Benz G-Class and Mercedes-Maybach business units, its super-luxury brand. This list is reflective of the 41-year-old's ambition to drive significant change for the betterment of each of the company's properties that he touches.

At a young age he, “fell in love with Mercedes,” Schiebe told Newsweek, saying that the W211 E-Class is the model he swooned over the most. Following his mandatory German military service, Schiebe secured a spot in Mercedes' university program, which allowed him to earn a degree in economics while studying for a future with the automaker, working in different departments and building a network within the company.

He said: “I had the opportunity to learn what I like and what I don't like. It was clear that procurement was not [going to be] my profession. But I was always into technology and cars. As a small boy, I was amazed by AMG cars. I studied economics but since I was always the technology guy, when I had to write my diploma thesis, I contacted one of the senior research and development managers and asked him if I could write about his department.”

The more he learned, the more he was intrigued. By the time he submitted his thesis, the manager had offered Schiebe a job on his team. He worked there for two years, hands-on in the early stage of product development.

BUILT FOR SPEED

Schiebe, right, and driver Maro Engel with the Mercedes-AMG ONE, a hypercar with Formula 1 technology that is the first production car to cover the 13 mile Nürburgring circuit in less than 6:30 minutes.