Browning brings with him quite an extensive automotive experience, having worked with big automotive players like GM and Ford. He held various positions with the two American manufacturers, being vice president of European sales, service and marketing at the GM Group from 2001 to 2008, and chairman of Vauxhall Motors from 2006 to 2008.
He became GM vice president of global sales, service and marketing in 2008. Previously, he worked for Ford from 1997 to 2001, first as executive director of marketing for Ford Europe and then as the global managing director of Jaguar.
His ascension to the position of CEO for Volkswagen US is quite fast, given the fact that he moved to VW in June this year.
"Volkswagen will play an even stronger role in the important U.S. market going forward,” said Christian Klingler, Volkswagen member of the board for Sales. "Jonathan Browning is an acknowledged expert on this market, its customers and its sales structures."
"The U.S. will always be one of the largest and most important markets for automobiles," added Klingler, "Volkswagen and Audi will become leading brands in the U.S. The Group's board and top management fully support this market and its customers."
Under the new leadership, the carmaker plans to reach a sales figure of 200,000 Audi and 800,000 Volkswagen models in 2018, as part of the global strategy to become the number 1 carmaker in the world.
To that end, Volkswagen is investing one billion dollars in the new Chattanooga plant, and plans to launch a unique marketing offensive in the US.
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