Cox Automotive announced Wednesday that it has named a new senior vice president of human resource business partners and employment practices to lead people strategy and execution for the company.

Chosen for the position is Renato Razon, who was most recently chief human resources officer at Mercedes-Benz USA.

In his new role, he is responsible for collaborating with the Cox Automotive executive team, as well as other key business leaders to identify and execute domestic people strategies.

“People are the real power of Cox Automotive – and together – with the passion we share for transforming the way the world buys, sells and owns cars – we're leading the industry into a new frontier,” Cox Automotive chief people officer Janet Barnard said in a news release announcing Razon’s appointment.

“I am excited to have Renato fill this critical leadership role as we create leading-edge team member experiences in a living, breathing, evolving culture and attract team members empowered to build a better future for the next generation of the automotive industry, enabling us to innovate in ways other companies only dream of,” Barnard continued.

In addition to leading a broad team of corporate, field and business-based HR business partners, the company said Razon will also serve as a business liaison for Cox Automotive’s people strategies.

At Mercedes-Benz USA, Razon led all HR functions concerning operations, talent acquisition, organizational effectiveness and development, employee engagement, compensation, benefits, pension programs, diversity and inclusion and corporate training.

“I am looking forward to joining Cox Automotive with its dynamic family of brands focused on people and business innovation," said Razon. “Positively impacting people strategies by leveraging my 20 years of OEM HR experience excites me for this journey ahead.”

Razon began his career with the Daimler AG family in 1998. He held multiple HR management and subject matter expert roles within compensation, recruiting and HR operations for DaimlerChrysler.

In 2007, Razon took on the role of manufacturing HR manager and was later promoted to serve as director of labor relations and HR operations for Daimler Trucks North America in Fort Mill, S.C. In that role, he managed all labor relations across the enterprise.