Porsche Shuffles Senior Managers

Volkswagen AG's Porsche unit has appointed Deesch Papke, head of its International and Growth Markets unit, to become CEO of the brand's sales operations in China on July 1.

Papke's career included stints at BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Land Rover and Volvo before Porsche hired him in 2005 as head of its Dubai-based Middle East and Africa unit.

He is switching jobs with current China sales chief Helmut Broker, who will assume Papke's responsibilities for Porsche sales in Africa, Australia, India, Japan, Latin America, the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

Broker has led the Chinese unit since joining Porsche from BMW AG six years ago. He helped Porsche boost its sales in China to 31,200 vehicles last year from 4,900 units in 2007, thus making the country its second-largest market after the U.S.

Porsche also will make a series of other management changes, which will take effect on Sept. 1. They include:

Joe Lawrence, managing director at Porsche Canada, will become COO of the company's North America unit. A new Canadian director will be named later.

Michael Bartsch, COO for North America, will assume managing director duties for the brand's Australia operations. He succeeds Michael Winker, who will be assigned an unspecified new international sales position.

Christer Ekberg, managing director of Porsche Asia Pacific, will carry the same title in his new job at the brand's Middle East and Africa unit.

* George Wills will leave that Dubai-based division to take over as managing director in Latin America. He replaces Matthias Brueck, who will be assigned an unspecified managing director post.