Thomas Schäfer
Thomas Schäfer has been named COO of the Volkswagen brand effective April 1.
Schäfer will also take over as chairperson of the Volkswagen brand from July 1, and will join the Volkswagen management board as the member responsible for the so-called ‘Volume’ brand group.
Schäfer was appointed as the MD and CEO of Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) in 2015, and was responsible for Volkswagen’s business in South Africa, and the development of the group’s brands in sub-Saharan Africa, until his 2020 departure to take up the position as chairperson of Skoda Auto.
The qualified mechanical engineer began his career at Daimler in Stuttgart in 1994, where he held various senior management positions. He joined the Volkswagen group in 2012.