Kjell Gruner succeeds Pablo Di Si as President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America and CEO, Volkswagen Brand North America, effective December 12, 2024.
Gerrit Spengler, CHRO of Volkswagen Group of America, will assume the function of interim CEO until Gruner takes over.
Gruner succeeds Pablo Di Si, who VW said has stepped down from his position last week at his own request.
Gunnar Kilian, Group Board Member for Human Resources at Volkswagen AG, said: "Kjell Gruner is an absolute expert for the US market He has over 25 years of experience in the automotive industry and extensive know-how in exploiting and expediting growth opportunities in North America.
“Volkswagen AG is indebted to his predecessor, Pablo Di Si. His outstanding commitment was of central importance in realigning our business in South America. He subsequently laid the foundation for the positive development of our North American strategy."
Arno Antlitz, CFO & COO of the Volkswagen Group said: "The North American market with Canada, Mexico, and the USA is an important strategic pillar for the Volkswagen Group. Targeted investments in local production and innovative technologies are strengthening our global footprint and enabling us to better meet the needs of our American customers.
“We would like to thank Pablo Di Si, who, together with his local team, has made a lasting contribution to strengthening the American regions of our Group. In Kjell Gruner, we have brought on board an experienced expert who knows the market and customers very well and will continue to consistently pursue the growth path we have embarked on."
Analysts say Volkswagen faces big challenges as it tries to increase sales in the highly competitive US marketplace. Efforts to grow market share could be undermined by Trump’s win in the US Presidential election. The President-elect has said he want to raise import tariffs on foreign-made cars, with German brands firmly in the crosshairs of any move towards trade protectionism. There is also speculation that a Trump 2.0 administration could look to slow the energy transition towards electric cars and – for example - end tax credits for EV purchases.
This comes at a time when Volkswagen in the US is struggling to ramp-up sales its US-made ID.4, the brand’s first all-electric SUV.
VW, however, points out that deliveries of the Volkswagen brand in North America increased by 21.7 per cent in the first three quarters of the year compared to the previous year and gained momentum ‘despite headwinds’.
Volkswagen says it has invested considerable resources in expanding its regional production capacity over the past ten years. This includes battery production facilities, the development of specific vehicle architectures for the North American market, comprehensive research and development, vehicle assembly and component manufacturing. It also maintains that with strong partnerships formed with regional suppliers, Volkswagen ‘ensures a sustainable and efficient implementation of e-mobility that meets the requirements of the North American market’.
Kjell Gruner
Kjell Gruner has over 25 years of automotive experience. He started as a consultant at the Boston Consulting Group in 1997. He then took on management positions at Porsche AG in Stuttgart before moving to the strategy department at DaimlerChrysler AG in 2004. From 2006, he headed the strategy department at Mercedes Benz Cars. In 2010, he moved back to Porsche AG as Global Chief Marketing Officer before becoming President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America in 2020. Most recently, Gruner was Chief Commercial Officer and President, Business Growth at Rivian Automotive, Inc.
