Special Order
Brand Group Core: cross-brand steering model for production reaches implementation phase
- Future Production Governance – reorientation of production network within Brand Group Core to boost efficiency, flexibility and competitiveness
- Company creates new function of Chief Production Officer (CPO) with responsibility for the Iberian Peninsula production region
- New plant manager at Volkswagen Autoeuropa in Portugal; new Head of Planning and Production Technology for the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand in Wolfsburg
The Brand Group Core within the Volkswagen Group – the organizational unit including the volume brands Volkswagen, Škoda, SEAT&CUPRA and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles – is strategically reorienting its production and establishing a high-performance regional production network.
As a first step, André Kleb, to date Head of Planning and Production Technology of the Volkswagen brand, is to assume responsibility for the regional management of production and logistics as the Chief Production Officer for the Iberian Peninsula with effect from January 1, 2026. In the spirit of overall cross-brand responsibility, this newly created function will report to Christian Vollmer, Member of the Board of Management for Production & Logistics of the Volkswagen brand and member of the extended Group Executive Board, and also to Markus Haupt, CEO SEAT&CUPRA.
The new structure for the Iberian Peninsula will include all the plants of the Volkswagen Group in Spain and Portugal. Overarching functions such as central planning, production steering, project and start-of-production management as well as logistics will be anchored within the regional management.
In connection with the reorganization, Thomas Hegel Gunther, currently Managing Director and plant manager of Volkswagen Autoeuropa, is to succeed André Kleb as new Head of Planning and Production Technology of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand in Wolfsburg.
Anabel Andión Lomero, to date the Head of the Pre-Series Center at SEAT&CUPRA in Spain, will become Managing Director and plant manager of Volkswagen Autoeuropa in Portugal with effect from March 1, 2026.
This new team is also to include Anabel Andión Lomero as the future Managing Director of Volkswagen Autoeuropa. She played a key role in the establishment of the Vorseriencenter (VSC) at SEAT&CUPRA, which is the starting point for the start of production of the Electric Urban Car Family. She will contribute her specialist expertise from the overarching VSC and from past cooperation projects to the Palmela plant in the future.
Under the management of Thomas Hegel Gunther, the Palmela plant has been transformed into one of the most efficient production locations of the Volkswagen brand over the past few years. Christian Vollmer: “Following the successful start of production of the new T-Roc, now is the right time to benefit from Thomas Hegel Gunther’s expertise for the introduction of efficient production structures. He will therefore play a key role as the new Head of Planning and Production Technology.”
Improved competitiveness and efficiency in automobile production
The new BGC Future Production Governance management model with 22 locations is characterized by lean processes in the plants supported by high-performance central functions. Within this system, the regions will become more independent, more efficient and more flexible.
The objective is to ensure a sustained long-term improvement in the competitiveness of BGC-automobile production with cross-brand steering and regional responsibility to master the future challenges. The production and logistics business area will be setting new standards within the Volkswagen Group and the industry.
