Germany-based company said Diess, who took over as CEO in 2018, will depart September 1 “by mutual consent” with the board. His contract was set to expire in 2025. The reason for his resignation was that he could not agree with the unions.
Volkswagen's (VW) overhead design has been given an intervention. The CEO of Herbert Diess, which will normally expire in 2025, has announced his resignation.
It was stated that Diess, who took the CEO seat in 2018, will be appointed from the company with the board of directors as of September 1, 2022. Meanwhile, it would normally end in 2025.
Hans Dieter Pötsch, Chairman of the VW Supervisory Board, said after Diess' resignation: "He not only steered the company through extremely turbulent waters, but also implemented a fundamentally new strategy." Porsche CEO Oliver Blume will take over as VW CEO to be vacated from Diess.
In 2015 Volkswagen suffered a major diesel scandal. After this scandal, the automobile industry turned to electric cars. Diess led VW at that time. Diess focused on what investors wanted rather than listening to the demands of trade unions. During his term as CEO, Diess identified Tesla's electric car model as his competitor rather than traditional rivals such as General Motors and Toyota. In this context, Diess had frequent meetings with Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
Who is Herbert Diess
Born: 24 October 1958, Munich, West Germany
Nationality: Austrian
Education: Ph.D. (mechanical engineering, production technologies) 1987
Herbert Diess (born 24 October 1958) is a German-born, Austrian businessman.
He studied vehicle technology at Munich University of Applied Sciences from 1977 and then mechanical engineering at Munich Technical University from 1978 to 1983.
After obtaining his degree in engineering, Diess was a scientific assistant at the Institute for Tool Machines and Plant Management of Munich Technical University, where he obtained a doctorate in the field of assembly automation in 1987. From 1988, he headed the Assembly Automation Department of the Institute for Tool Machines and Plant Management.
In 1989, he continued his career with Robert Bosch GmbH in Stuttgart. In 1990, he was appointed Technical Director, Planning and Maintenance, of the Robert Bosch plant at Treto in Spain, where he was General Manager from 1993.
In 1996, Diess joined BMW AG in Munich as Director, Long-Term and Structural Planning. From 1997, he headed the Process Consulting Department, first in the Production Division and later in the Engineering and Technology Division. He was then assigned to the UK, where he was Director of BMW’s Birmingham plant from 1999; one year later, he became Director of the BMW plant in Oxford. In 2003, he was appointed Director of BMW Motorcycles.
In 2007, he became Member of the Board of Management, Purchasing and Supplier Network, and, in 2012, Member of the Board of Management, Development, of BMW AG.