The automotive industry is undergoing a profound transformation process driven by electromobility and digitalisation. In view of this, Volkswagen presented a 10-point plan in September 2022 aimed at sustainably strengthening brands and products. Noticeable improvements are to be achieved in the next few years, particularly in product substance, quality and design. The Group has now reorganised the cross-brand functions of quality and design. The goal, according to the company. “closer integration with the main brands Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Audi and Porsche in order to ensure a consistent focus on the needs of customers”. In addition, the Group Board of Management expects the reorganisation to lead to “clearer prioritisation and faster implementation”.
In terms of personnel, this means that since the beginning of the year Michael Neumayer (in addition to his function as Head of Corporate Quality at Audi) has been in charge of Volkswagen Quality Management. He has taken over the function from Frank Welsch, who retired after almost 30 years with the Group. Likewise, Michael Mauer from Porsche has taken over as Head of Group Design on 1 January 2023. He succeeds Klaus Zyciora, who is leaving the company to devote himself to new tasks. Following the reorganisation of the Group Board of Management in September, “all key functions are now located at one of the Group’s leading brands: Production and Purchasing at the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand, Sales and Quality at Audi, and Design and Development at Porsche”. The main tasks of the group functions will “in future be to coordinate and leverage synergies”. “First-class quality and iconic design have always been the performance characteristics of the Volkswagen Group and its brands,” CEO Oliver Blume commented on the reorganisation. “With group-wide leadership across the brands, we are strengthening our focus on our customers.”
Michael Neumayer has worked for the Volkswagen Group since 1986. He has extensive management experience from responsible positions in the quality organisations of Audi and Porsche as well as Audi’s Technical Development. Michael Mauer has been head of design at Porsche AG since 2004 and has been responsible for icons such as the 911, 918 Spyder, Macan and Taycan. He already held the role of coordinating group function between 2015 and 2020.
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