You need to know about the struggle for power within Volkswagen

Posted on 14-04-2015 at 23:22 by MauritsH – 33 Comments”

The rumbles in Wolfsburg, but what exactly is the problem?

In the highest echelons of the brand have two bosses with each other to the pole. Supervisory board chairman Ferdinand Piëch last week namely openly taken away from his favorite successor: CEO Martin Winterkorn. The exact how and why behind this remarkable statement is shrouded in mystery, but something tells us that these two are not exactly weekly with each other on the golf course.

Striking, because what the figures in VAG better than ever. The company posted last year’s sales record, and nothing indicates that the scratch is in it. The contract of Winterkorn runs in each case at the end of 2016 and as it looks now do-ie not on renewal fee. A successor will find, however, is no simple 1-2-3’tyou be, since different influential parties, their fiat will have to give.

Who takes the baton?

Matthias Mueller is in each case in the picture as a potential successor to Winterkorn. The boss of the sportwagendivisie of Porsche was originally an engineer and has a lot of experience in the cut. In addition, he can on a lot of support, including family Piëch. That it is never wrong to be with the major shareholders of VW in the taste to fall, should be clear.

In addition to Mueller, other candidates mentioned, including Winfried Vahland (Skoda), Andreas Renschler, the former BMW boss Herbert Diess. The latter is, per 1 July boss of VW’s personenautodivisie and may therefore be the most likely candidate to take the baton from Winterkorn to take over.

Whoever it may be, he will in any case taste need to fall at the final boss Piëch. The grandson of Ferdinand Porsche is not known for his gentle ways. He worked previously Bernd Pischetsrieder to the door and is one of his famous sayings: “those who are with me two times the same mistake, is out.” Maybe not the sun in the boardroom, but he knows how to make a great car even greater.