Volkswagen confirms new CEO in senior management shuffle

Volkswagen has confirmed current Chief Executive Officer Ralf Brandstätter will be replaced by Skoda chairman Thomas Schäfer.

The move sees Brandstätter moving out to join Volkswagen Group’s board early next year ahead of a transition to direct the company’s Chinese operation, starting August 2022.

Schäfer will move from his post at Skoda to head up Volkswagen from April 1 next year – for now, there is no confirmation on who will replace Schäfer at the Czech car maker.

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VW Group’s Supervisory Board confirmation of a new brand CEO follows other movements in senior management, including Herbert Diess who was recently relinquished of his CEO powers, acquiring more responsibilities at the car maker’s software division, Cariad.

Also in the digital space is the appointment of Audi sales director Hildegard Wortmann to the board, tasked with evolving online and group sales.

There has also been the confirmation of Hauke Stars to head IT who was a previous board member and came from outside of the automotive industry at Deutsche Borse investments.

Schäfer, who will be Volkswagen CEO, has previous experience in the VW Group running the brand’s South African operations and also his short tenure at Skoda which he took in August last year.