AutoBeta(AutoBeta.net)06/18 Report--

On June 17, Volkswagen Group announced a fundamental adjustment of its management structure in the Chinese market. Since August 1, 2022, the board of directors of Volkswagen Group in China has become the group's cross-brand central decision-making organization in China. Among them, the closely watched Volkswagen Group (China) CEO official announced that Baird will join the Volkswagen Group Management Board from August 1, 2022, responsible for China business and leading Volkswagen Group (China). According to the data, Baird joined Volkswagen Group in 1993, was appointed as a member of Volkswagen passenger car brand management board in December 2015, served as Volkswagen passenger car brand COO in August 2018, and was promoted to Volkswagen passenger car brand CEO in July 2020.

With the official announcement of the post of CEO of Volkswagen Group (China), Feng Sihan, the current CEO of Volkswagen Group (China), is about to step down. In fact, the news that Feng Sihan was about to leave China came out as early as 2021. According to the German media "Automotive Weekly" reported that Volkswagen Group due to the poor performance of the Chinese market, electric car products ID. Due to the lack of family sales and other reasons, it is planned to change the head of the business in China. Feng Sihan, China CEO of Volkswagen Group, will leave his current position and leave China on February 1, 2022.

According to the data, Feng Sihan joined Volkswagen Group in 1995, worked in the international market sales and product management department successively, and was responsible for the marketing and sales business of SAIC Volkswagen from 2004 to 2006. After that, he served as general manager of Volkswagen brand and executive deputy general manager of FAW-Volkswagen. In August 2016, Feng Sihan officially became CEO of Volkswagen brand passenger cars in China, and also served as Executive Vice President of Volkswagen (China) Investment Co., Ltd., responsible for the promotion and business operation of the Volkswagen brand in the Chinese market. At the beginning of 2019, Feng Sihan officially became CEO of Volkswagen Group (China) and served as a member of Volkswagen passenger car brand management board. At the beginning of taking office, Feng Sihan was in high spirits, and Volkswagen group CEO Dis was also full of expectations.

According to official figures, Volkswagen Group sold 10.975 million vehicles worldwide in 2019, up 1.3% from a year earlier, not only setting an all-time high, but also ranking first in the world for four consecutive years. As the world's largest single market, the Chinese market plays an important role. Volkswagen Group Chinese mainland sold 4.2336 million vehicles in 2019, including Hong Kong, accounting for 38.6% of Volkswagen Group's global sales. At the site of Volkswagen's annual earnings conference, Deiss kept thanking Feng Sihan's Chinese team.

However, it is true that Volkswagen Group did not perform well in 2020. Data show that Volkswagen Group's global sales fell 15.2 per cent year-on-year to 9.305 million vehicles in 2020, of which the Chinese market fell 9.1 per cent to 3.849 million vehicles. Volkswagen Group's global sales fell 4.5 per cent year-on-year to 8.882 million vehicles in 2021, of which the Chinese market fell 14.1 per cent to 3.3048 million. In the past two years, Volkswagen Group has been continuously overtaken by Toyota Motor Group, and China, as the world's largest market, is of great significance to Volkswagen Group. Sales have declined for two consecutive years, which is considered by foreign media as one of the reasons for Feng Sihan's departure.

At the same time, Feng Sihan took up the post of CEO of Volkswagen Group (China) in 2019, which coincided with the node of Volkswagen's accelerated electrification transition in China, thus becoming an important "promoter" of VW's electrification transition. As Volkswagen's largest single market, Volkswagen will launch five ID models in 2021. Series of electric cars, but the actual performance is not satisfactory. Volkswagen Group (China) has said: "We had hoped that ID. The family sold 80 to 100000 vehicles in 2021. " Volkswagen delivered 71000 ID vehicles in China in 2021, according to official figures. Family electric car.

Even so, whether Feng Sihan's departure has anything to do with Volkswagen's performance in the Chinese market is only speculation. After all, the decline in Volkswagen Group sales from 2020 to 2021 is caused by the global epidemic and the impact of spare parts supply. Feng Sihan's promotion of the layout of electric vehicles is also purely "crossing the river by feeling the stones".

It is worth noting that Volkswagen Group has also made other adjustments to its management structure. For example, Volkswagen Group has appointed Marcus Hafkemeyer as CTO of Volkswagen Group (China), which will take effect on August 1st. Currently, he works as a strategic consultant for Huawei's automotive business in Shanghai. In addition, Volkswagen Group also announced the appointment of another key function in China: the current Volkswagen Group Russia CEO Stefan Mecha, as head of sales of Volkswagen passenger car brand China CEO and Volkswagen Group (China) Group, which will also take effect from August 1st.

Volkswagen Group (China) believes that this management structure adjustment is a fundamental adjustment. Since August 1, 2022, the Chinese board of directors of Volkswagen Group has become the group's cross-brand central decision-making organization in China: the new structure will make decision-making more efficient, maximize the linkage between the group's brands, and work closely with joint ventures.

Regarding the upcoming appointment as CEO of Volkswagen Group (China), Berred said: "under the new China management structure, we work closely with the joint venture to further strengthen the system, integrate and upgrade business management, and lay a solid foundation for follow-up development. It is clear that China is being given more decision-making power and autonomy, and our services, technologies and products will meet the specific needs of Chinese customers in the local market more quickly. "

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