Volkswagen Group appoints new CEO

Volkswagen has announced that Herbert Diess, the Wolfsburg-based carmaker’s brand chief, will succeed Matthias Mueller as CEO.

With that announcement, the VW Group has also announced a major restricting of its brands, dividing them up into six new business areas.

VW Group’s brands, which include Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, Bentley, Skoda (not in SA), and others will be put into three groups – Volume, Premium, and Super Premium.

One business area will be dedicated to China while another would be dedicated to its Truck & Bus division.

Other areas VW Group will focus include research and development, sales, and production.

VW Group hopes the new management system will streamline the company, quickening the decision-making process.

“The Volkswagen Group’s goal is and remains to align the company and its brands with future needs, to safeguard its position among the leaders of the international automotive industry with innovativeness and profitability and to be instrumental in shaping tomorrow’s personal mobility with the strength of our Group brands,” said chairman of the Supervisory Board Hans Dieter Pötsch in the statement announcing the changes.

“Herbert Diess is the right manager to do that. In realigning the Volkswagen brand, he has demonstrated to impressive effect the speed and rigor with which he can implement radical transformation processes. This accomplishment makes him predestined to fully implement our Strategy 2025 in the decisive years that are now to follow.”

Diess joined Volkswagen in 2015 after holding an executive position at BMW.

Source: Motor1