Attempting to regain control of a situation that has entirely spun out of control, Volkswagen’s Supervisory Board—led by labor union executive Berthold Huber—will appoint Porsche CEO Matthias Müller to succeed Martin Winterkorn as VW Group CEO. Winterkorn stepped down in the wake of VW’s diesel-emissions scandal. His departure was followed by the firings of VW, Audi, and Porsche’s R&D chiefs Heinz-Jakob Neusser, Ulrich Hackenberg, and Wolfgang Hatz. Volkswagen’s U.S. boss, Michael Horn, is also rumored to be on the firing line.
-The 62-year-old Müller has been with the Volkswagen Group for about four decades. Most of his career was spent at Audi, but he served in various positions within the group; in 2010, he became CEO of Porsche.
-Müller enjoys an excellent reputation within the VW Group. “He knows the entire car, and he takes every aspect into account, including technical considerations and cost considerations,” says a confidant who worked closely with Müller.
-Müller’s appointment will ensure a modicum of continuity in a company that seems to be shaken to the core by the scandal and that has just lost four of the world’s top automotive executives.
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Müller is almost certain to be an interim CEO; recently, he said he was too old to take the VW CEO post, and he will likely spend some time to groom potential successors.
-The move has not yet been officially confirmed.
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