VW Names New Group Chiefs for Research, Design, Product Development, Production and Sales

Volkswagen AG has named new executives to head operations responsible for research, design, product development, manufacturing and sales.

The restructuring, which will occur during the first quarter of 2016, aims to streamline decision making and reduce by half the number of people reporting to CEO Matthias Mueller. Under the new organization, many of his former direct reports will be managed by the five new appointees.

Mueller says the new structure will enable VW to better focus on forces that are shaping the future of personal mobility, notably electrification and digitalization.

The operational areas and their new group-level leaders are:

            • Research. Ulrich Eichhorn, former head of VW group research and, since 2012, managing director of the German Assn. of the Automotive Industry. He replaces Ulrich Hackenberg, who quit two weeks ago after being suspended for his association with the development of diesel engines that used illegal software to pass emission tests.

            • Product. Ralf-Gerhard Willner, who also will be responsible for modular platform strategy. He formerly headed vehicle concept development at Audi and VW, served as technical director for Italdesign Giugiaro and returned in 2013 to head Audi vehicle concepts.

            • Design. Michael Mauer, who will continue as design chief for the group’s Porsche unit. He formerly did design work at Mercedes-Benz, Saab and General Motors Europe.

            • Production. Wolfram Thomas, a 35-year veteran at VW. Thomas formerly managed VW’s Kassel plant, headed of production at SEAT and served as group chief officer for the environment, energy and new business.

            • Sales. Fred Kappler, who has held top sales jobs with the VW and Skoda brands, VW parts operations and since 2011, group services.