Volkswagen has extended the contract of its China CEO, Ralf Brandstätter, by three years, according to reports from German business publication “Handelsblatt”. The decision, reached during a supervisory board meeting last Friday, will see Brandstätter remain in the role until the end of July 2028. A spokesperson for the supervisory board confirmed the extension to “Handelsblatt” when contacted for comment.
Brandstätter assumed leadership of Volkswagen’s China operations in 2022 and has since initiated a significant restructuring of the company’s presence in the region, focusing on local production and development – “in China for China” – alongside forging new strategic partnerships.
Despite these efforts, Volkswagen has been losing market share, particularly in the crucial electric vehicle sector. The company recently announced a decline of over 30% in electric vehicle sales during the first half of the year. Management, including China CEO Brandstätter and Group CEO Oliver Blume, aims to address this challenge with a new generation of electric vehicles slated for release in China starting in 2026.
