It took German carmaker Audi nearly half a year to completely recover from the shock caused by the arrest of its long-time CEO Rupert Stadler, at least at an organizational level.
Following Stadler’s arrest and subsequent removal from his positions at Audi and Volkswagen, the brand with four rings appointed as interim leader Abraham Schot, at the time head of Audi's sales and marketing division.
This happened in June, and Audi has been trying to find a permanent replacement for Stadler since. It even tried snatching BMW’s purchasing director, Markus Duesmann, but it failed in doing so and the company decided to stick with Schot.
The executive will assume the role of Audi chairman of the board on a permanent basis on January 1, 2019, while at the same time continuing to hold responsibility for sales and marketing. In his new position, Schot will not only oversee Audi, but its owned brands as well: Ducati, Lamborghini and Italdesign Giugiaro.
“As interim CEO, Bram Schot has already done a convincing job in recent months,” said in a statement Volkswagen’s group CEO, Herbert Diess.
“With the benefit of a strong mandate, he will further accelerate the transformation of the company and lead the Four Rings to new successes.”
Shot joined Volkswagen in 2011, after leaving his role of CEO of Mercedes-Benz Italia. From 2012, he was responsible for marketing and sales for the VW commercial vehicles division.
As for the former Audi head, he remains imprisoned for his alleged involvement in the Dieselgate scandal. Stadler was arrested by German prosecutors on June 18, and is suspected of having concealed evidence. He is also said to have allowed rigged engines to be fitted into cars, despite knowing all about the practice.
Stadler became the first high-ranking Volkswagen Group executive to be charged in Europe as part of the investigation into the Dieselgate affair.
This happened in June, and Audi has been trying to find a permanent replacement for Stadler since. It even tried snatching BMW’s purchasing director, Markus Duesmann, but it failed in doing so and the company decided to stick with Schot.
The executive will assume the role of Audi chairman of the board on a permanent basis on January 1, 2019, while at the same time continuing to hold responsibility for sales and marketing. In his new position, Schot will not only oversee Audi, but its owned brands as well: Ducati, Lamborghini and Italdesign Giugiaro.
“As interim CEO, Bram Schot has already done a convincing job in recent months,” said in a statement Volkswagen’s group CEO, Herbert Diess.
“With the benefit of a strong mandate, he will further accelerate the transformation of the company and lead the Four Rings to new successes.”
Shot joined Volkswagen in 2011, after leaving his role of CEO of Mercedes-Benz Italia. From 2012, he was responsible for marketing and sales for the VW commercial vehicles division.
As for the former Audi head, he remains imprisoned for his alleged involvement in the Dieselgate scandal. Stadler was arrested by German prosecutors on June 18, and is suspected of having concealed evidence. He is also said to have allowed rigged engines to be fitted into cars, despite knowing all about the practice.
Stadler became the first high-ranking Volkswagen Group executive to be charged in Europe as part of the investigation into the Dieselgate affair.