Stefan Gies Appointed VW Head of Car Chassis Development

Volkswagen has just announced a new management change as 46-year old Prof. Dr. Stefan Gies has been appointed Head of Car Chassis Development at Volkswagen Group. The move will come into effect on January 1, 2010, with Stefan Gies to take the place of Karl Horst Fuhrmann, 61-year old, who is retiring.

Only a little is known about Gies, but Volkswagen released, through a press release that surfaced today, a few details about the one who'll be in charge of most chassis to be seen on Volkswagen models in the future.

"Prof. Dr. Stefan Gies studied vehicle engineering at RWTH Aachen University, and was awarded a doctorate from the same institution. He headed vehicle dynamics at Ford Werke AG from 1994 to 2000. He then moved to the chassis department at Audi AG where he was responsible for vehicle dynamics, ride comfort and the type approval of steering systems, suspension systems and wheels / tires. In 2007 he accepted a professorship at Institut für Kraftfahrzeuge at RWTH Aachen University and became chairman of the advisory council of Forschungsgesellschaft Kraftfahrwesen Aachen," Volkswagen said in statement.

Volkswagen also announced last month that Andreas Meurer, 51-year old, will take over as Head of Communications at the Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles brand with effect from November 1, 2009.

"Andreas Meurer was in charge of Corporate and Business Communications at Audi AG from 2003 to 2007. He then moved to the same function at Volkswagen AG in Wolfsburg, where he subsequently assumed responsibility for controlling and coordinating at Group Communications in 2008," Volkswagen said.