Volkswagen Group has appointed new bosses for the automaker’s quality and design divisions to speed up decision-making and improve coordination between the VW, Audi and Porsche brands.
Effective Jan. 1, Michael Neumayer will be in charge of VW Group’s quality management division while retaining his position as Audi’s head of quality. He will replace Frank Welsch, as VW Group’s quality chief. Welsch is retiring after nearly 30 years of service with VW.
Also on Jan. 1, Michael Mauer will become VW Group design chief, while also retaining the same role at Porsche. He will replace Klaus Zyciora who is leaving the automaker.
The latest management shuffle follows a leadership restructuring announced by new VW Group CEO Oliver Blume in September.
It means all key functions have now been assigned to the group’s leading brands, VW said in a statement on Wednesday.
- VW brand oversees group production and procurement
- Audi is in charge of group sales and quality
- Porsche will lead design and development
The new structure will lead to clearer priority setting and faster implementation amid the sweeping changes being experienced by the industry, VW said.
Managing the key functions of quality and design via the Audi and Porsche brands also will allow VW Group to intensify its customer focus, Blume said in the statement.
Zyciora, whose family name previously was Bischoff, is leaving the company to pursue tasks outside the group, VW said.
