Daimler Truck North America (DTNA) has appointed Joanna Buttler as general manager of product strategy and market development. She will be in charge of shaping the company’s product portfolio and overseeing go-to-market activities for the Freightliner, Western Star, and Detroit brands.
Buttler will lead product marketing, brand communications, sales training, and digital sales tools in her new role. She reports to David Carson, senior vice-president of sales and marketing and a DTNA operating committee member.
“Joanna’s extensive experience and proven leadership make her the ideal leader to drive our product strategy and market development forward,” Carson said in a news release. “Her innovative approach and dedication to excellence will continue to strengthen our position in the industry.”
Buttler brings nearly two decades of experience with Daimler Truck, having joined the company in 2006 as a marketing analyst and sales support specialist for Detroit powertrain.
She later held several leadership roles in finance, IT, and corporate strategy, including chief of staff to Martin Daum during his tenure as president and CEO of DTNA.
Most recently, she served as head of the Global Autonomous Technology Group, where she played a key role in Daimler Truck’s autonomous vehicle strategy, according to the release. Her contributions included the post-merger integration with Torc Robotics, the development of the autonomous-ready Freightliner Cascadia, and building global strategic partnerships in the AV sector.
DTNA said it plans to continue advancing its autonomous technology roadmap, with a succession plan for Buttler’s previous role to be announced soon.
