The Czech carmaker Škoda auto will be led by the current head of sales of the Volkswagen brand, Klaus Zellmer, from 1 July, who will replace Thomas Schäfer.
Referring to its sources, the German magazine Automobilwoche stated this. As of today, Schäfer has taken over the operational management of the VW brand, but will also lead Škoda Auto by the end of June.
Škoda, which, like the VW brand, belongs to the Volkswagen Group, is expected to announce the selection of a new boss these days. In February, the weekly Škodovácký odborář stated that there were nine candidates in the game for the head of Škoda. About a week ago, the Automobilwoche wrote that there were only two shortlisted candidates, but today he stated that Zellmer had won the selection. “Several sources say the same,” the magazine wrote. Representatives of the Škoda Press Department have not yet wanted to officially confirm the information.
Schäfer came to the head of the Czech carmaker on August 3, 2020, so he will resign after almost two years. In an interview with the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ) in March, he stated that he wanted the parent company Volkswagen to choose the Czech Republic to build a car battery factory. The FAZ described Schäfer’s support as a farewell gift.
Klaus Zellmer joined today’s group companies in 1997, when he became an assistant to the board of directors at Porsche. He subsequently held various positions in sales and marketing in the company. In 2015, he became the head of Porsche in North America. He has been a member of the Volkswagen Board of Directors since 2020.
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