"The challenge that comes out of it is that instead of arguing on a rational basis, which is much easier, you argue on an emotional basis and you have to give the customer a much better experience."
Arguing on an emotional basis in a remit of 12 countries, from Singapore to New Caledonia, is just one of the challenges Esterer must grapple with. Fortunately, any culture shock from her new role has been somewhat cushioned by an earlier three-year stint as head of marketing at BMW Thailand.
The region's diversity also poses a challenge, although Esterer is confident that her most recent position as head of brand strategy at BMW's global HQ in Munich can help to deliver a more holistic brand experience. "Here we looked 20 years ahead and thought how customer perception might function in 20 years," she explains.
Under Esterer's predecessor, Ralf Bissinger, who has since left to manage BMW's new office in India, this insight translated into upgraded dealerships, intensive sales training and more customer attention. The efforts have contributed to the German manufacturer's relatively novel pole position worldwide: in 2003, BMW surged ahead of long-time rival Mercedes-Benz for the first time in its 90-year history.
At a regional level, BMW shot up to become the top-selling luxury carmaker in Singapore last year and has grown a further 47 per cent in the first half of this year, largely thanks to the 7-Series launch and a bulk order generated from the IMF/World Bank conference.
But the heady acclaim of being number one has forced Esterer to shift her attitude, having been with BMW since its days as number two.
"The implication that comes with being number one is that all eyes are on you," she says.
"You set the pace. It just means we have to be even faster, to plan better and to be very focused on what our targets are."
One such growth target is, ironically, the greying population. "People tend to grow younger at heart as they age," Esterer says. "You see 60-year-olds nowadays who are still out there living an active lifestyle, still young at heart, and to these people, the BMW brand is seen as a dynamic, premium car built for those still striving for perfection.
"We see more potential with these people because they stay younger longer and they want cars that fit their lifestyle and beliefs."
Esterer also hopes to tap into the green trend. "A big global trend in the automotive industry is alternative energy," she notes. "This was shown with the Toyota Hybrid — a highly successful model."
Carmakers such as Mercedes, Ford and Lexus made headway last year with launches of various alternative energy models. BMW, on the other hand, has yet to participate in the alternative energy scene here, although Esterer speaks of a hydrogen-powered model that the company has been working on for years. "In a hydrogen car, you take hydrogen, you take gas and, combined with air, the output is water — internally we call it 'clean energy'," she explains.
While the unprecedented formula has yet to roll out for serial production in Asia, Esterer says the company is "working on it".
Fortunately for BMW, the region lags behind Europe and America in terms of adopting new technologies, giving Esterer time to acclimatise to a city she's lived in for less than two months. But if the cars are anything to go by, Esterer will be up to speed in no time. After all, she has already raced through a career with BMW that started right after graduation.
"I was 28 when I took over the position of marketing director in Thailand." she says. "That's one thing I really love about the company. They believe in good people and support young, dynamic women. They've given me a great chance to prove my abilities."
