Board of Management and Executive
Committee of the Volkswagen Group Restructured
Supervisory Board rejects MAN
offer
New areas of responsibility on
Board of Management and Executive Committee ensure synergies
and opportunities for growth for the entire company
Supervisory Board agrees to
Prof. Dr. Winterkorn’s plans for restructuring Group
Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard leaves
Board of Management of Volkswagen AG
Wolfsburg - In a meeting today,
the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG agreed unanimously to the
plans of Chairman of the Board Prof. Dr. Winterkorn for the
restructuring of the Board of Management and the Group Executive
Committee. With this move, the Supervisory Board opens the way
for even greater synergies within the Group.
The Brand groups which have
existed up to now, Volkswagen (comprising Volkswagen, Skoda,
Bentley and Bugatti) and Audi (including Audi, Seat and
Lamborghini) will be disbanded.
The Group Board of Management
Dr. rer. pol. Wolfgang Bernhard,
Chairman of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen Brand and
Member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG, will, by
mutual consent, be leaving the company with effect from 31.01.07
as a result of the reallocation of responsibilities within the
Volkswagen Group. As of this date, Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn
will be taking over the chairmanship of the Board of Management
of the Volkswagen Brand in addition to his other tasks.
A new area of responsibility,
Group Research and Development, will be created. It will be led
by Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, in addition to his other tasks.
.
A new area of responsibility Group
Production will be led by Dr. Jochem Heizmann with effect from
01.02.07. Heizmann was previously responsible for production at
the Audi brand.
The third new area of
responsibility is Group Sales. The holder of this position will
be decided at a later date. The responsibility for volumes,
revenue and earnings remains fully with the brands.
Other changes within the Group and Brand
Stephan Grühsem has been appointed the new
Head of Group Communications and, as a new member of the Group
Management, will be appointed General Representative of Volkswagen AG
with effect from 01.02.07. The departments Group Investor Relations and
Group External Relations will be integrated into Group Communications.
Grühsem was previously Head of Corporate Communications at Audi AG; he
will initially be taking on the new responsibilities in addition to his
previously held post.
Dr. Ulrick Hackenberg has been appointed
Member of the Board of Management with responsibility for Development
for the Volkswagen brand with effect from 01.02.07. He will be taking
over this position from Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard who previously held this
position. Hackenberg was previously Head of Concept Development, Body
Development, Electronics and Electrical Systems.
Dr. Werner Neubauer, previously General
Representative of Volkswagen AG, responsible for the Components
Division, will be appointed Member of the Board of Management of the
Volkswagen brand with responsibility for Components with effect from
01.02.07.
MAN offer
The Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG has
rejected the MAN offer to take over Scania. It has requested that the
Board of Management works on a friendly merger of Scania and MAN.
