VW is reorganizing Quality and Design departments
In the course of the change towards electromobility and digitalisation, the VW Group has announced that it will reorganise the cross-brand functions of quality and design. The aim is to link up more closely with the main brands Volkswagen Passenger Cars, Audi and Porsche in order to ensure a consistent focus on the needs of customers.
According to the Volkswagen press release, in view of the rapid changes in the industry and the demands associated with them, the group’s board of management expects the realignment to lead to “clearer prioritisation and faster implementation”. The criticism of the quality of important vehicles such as the ID.3 (but also of the combustion engine series such as the Golf) now also has personnel consequences – and the new CEO Oliver Blume can better implement his strategy.
In order to strengthen the link to the main brands, the two tasks will also be taken over by managers from the Audi and Porsche brands. Head of Quality Frank Welsch (retired) will be succeeded at the turn of the year by Michael Neumayer – in addition to his function as Head of Corporate Quality at Audi. From 1 January 2023, Michael Mauer from Porsche will also take over as Head of Group Design. He succeeds Klaus Zyciora, who is leaving the company to pursue new tasks outside the Group.
After the restructuring of the group board in September with Blume at the helm (who directly reduced the board by two heads), the restructuring now continues one management level below. The two personnel changes in quality and design are directly attributable to Blume: He had taken over responsibility for strategy, quality, design as well as the software subsidiary Cariad on the group board.
“Excellent quality and iconic design have always been USPs of the Volkswagen Group and its brands,” CEO Oliver Blume commented on the reorganisation. “Managing these key functions via the brands will allow us to intensify our customer focus.” Blume also thanked Welsch and Zyciora, who shaped the design of the ID. family.
The new Head of Quality Management Neumayer has been working for the Volkswagen Group since 1986 and has extensive management experience from responsible positions in the quality organisations of Audi and Porsche as well as Audi’s Technical Development. For Mauer, head of design, the task is a familiar one: He already held the Group role alongside his role at Porsche between 2015 and 2020.
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