Volkswagen Group chairman Herbert Diess resigns

Herbert Diess has stepped down from his role as chairman of the board of management for Volkswagen Group.

In a surprise move, Diess has resigned from the role amid what a Volkswagen statement calls a ‘mutual agreement’.

He’ll be replaced by Porsche chief executive Oliver Blume, who takes up the new role from September 1.

In a statement, the chairman of the supervisory board for Volkswagen Group, Hans Dieter Pötsch, said: “During his tenure as chairman of the board of management of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand and as chairman of the group board of management, Herbert Diess played a key role in advancing the transformation of the company.

“The Group and its brands are viable for the future; its innovative capabilities and earning power are strengthened. Mr. Diess impressively demonstrated the speed at which and consistency with which he was able to carry out far-reaching transformation processes. Not only did he steer the company through extremely turbulent waters, but he also implemented a fundamentally new strategy.”

Diess took over his position at Volkswagen in the years following the firm’s ‘dieselgate’ scandal and was instrumental in its push for the development of electric vehicles. He was at the helm when Volkswagen produced its first in a new range of purpose-built EVs, too.