Daimler CEO says Renschler cannot join competitor soon

MUNICH (Reuters) - Andreas Renschler, the former Daimler executive who resigned unexpectedly earlier this week, will not be able to join a competitor soon, Daimler Chief Executive Dieter Zetsche said on Thursday.

Renschler, head of manufacturing at Mercedes-Benz Cars until his departure, is leaving Daimler of his own accord, Daimler had said on Tuesday, in a move that tightens Zetsche's grip on the company.

Responding to a question at an event in Munich about whether he knew anything about a rival job offer for Renschler, Zetsche said: "That is irrelevant to us as he will not work for a competitor in the foreseeable future due to the arrangements in his contract."

Earlier on Thursday, Stuttgarter Zeitung reported that Volkswagen may have offered a job to Renschler, citing comments made by VW Chairman Ferdinand Piech.

(Reporting by Edward Taylor; Writing by Christoph Steitz, editing by David Evans)