ŠKODA AUTO announced that Thomas Schäfer has been appointed the new Chairman of the Board of Directors of ŠKODA AUTO with immediate effect. He replaces Bernhard Maier, who, after almost five years at the head of the board, handed over the position to his successor.
Thomas Schäfer began his career in the automotive industry as a mechanical engineer in 1991 at Daimler AG. Until 2002, he worked in Germany, the USA and South Africa in leading positions in production and quality management. From 2002 to 2005, as a member of the Board of Directors for technology, he was involved in the creation of DaimlerChrysler Malaysia, where he was responsible for the construction and reconstruction of sales, production and supply structures.
From 2005 to 2012, Thomas Schäfer was responsible at Daimler AG in Germany for vehicle deliveries, the customer center and worldwide xKD activities in emerging markets. In addition to the construction of new plants, his area of responsibility also included the area of planning and strategy, as well as the international logistics of all foreign plants. In 2011, one of his main tasks was to lead the construction project of the Mercedes-Benz plant in cooperation with BAIC in China.
In May 2012, Schäfer joined the Volkswagen AG Group. There, he first managed the group’s foreign production, then was entrusted with the management of xKD projects and negotiations on new production plants. Since 2015, he has held the position of Chairman of the Board of Directors and CEO of Volkswagen Group South Africa, where he was responsible for the development of the Group’s brands in the region of sub-Saharan Africa.
During his five-year tenure, he contributed to the development of the sales network, increased the profitability of dealerships and led the Volkswagen, Audi and VW Commercial Vehicles brands to a record market share of 23.5 percent.
Under the leadership of Thomas Schäfer, the Volkswagen Group has significantly developed and strengthened its position in sub-Saharan Africa. The construction of new production plants, the establishment of new cooperation with importers and the development of mobility concepts for Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda and Ghana also contributed to this.
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