Audi has been experiencing a drop in sales in China for months, as has its parent company, Volkswagen, which has seen a 30 percent drop in sales of all its brands in China since the beginning of the year. The premium brand is now starting a leadership reorganization in the People’s Republic: Jeff Zhang, recently vice president and CEO of the Chery brand at Chery International, will become the new head of Audi China.
Rolf Michl, currently at Audi Sport, will join him as part of a dual leadership team. According to an official statement from the manufacturer, the two will act as co-leaders. The direct quote: “As part of the leadership realignment, Audi China’s Board of Directors structure will also be simplified, with Jeff Zhang and Rolf Michl jointly leading the organization.”
Meanwhile, Rouven Mohr, board member for Technical Development at Audi AG, will temporarily take over management of Audi Sport. Former Audi China President Johannes Roscheck will return to Ingolstadt. “He has played a key role in shaping Audi’s strategic development in China during a period of profound change,” according to a corresponding statement from his employer.
Jeff Zhang is expected to bring extensive experience in the Chinese market to his new role. According to Audi, he has more than 20 years of international management experience, most recently as a senior executive at Chery. Previously, he oversaw the Chinese automaker’s European business and, as CEO, led the China operations of Alfa Romeo and DS Automobiles at Stellantis. From 2018 to 2020, Zhang also held leadership positions at Audi in China: “Among other responsibilities, he helped establish the SAIC Audi sales organization and contributed to strategic projects related to FAW Audi,” writes his new employer. He has also worked in Japan and North America.
Rolf Michl, for his part, is Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi Sport GmbH and is responsible for the high-performance RS models there from 2022. Michl began his career at Audi in 2007 in product marketing and subsequently held various leadership positions in product management, sales and marketing.
While Zhang brings experience in the international premium business and the Chinese market, Michl is expected to bring in-house experience in the companies’ branding and operational development. Gernot Döllner, CEO of Audi, commented: “China is one of Audi’s most important markets. With Jeff Zhang and Rolf Michl, we are strengthening our leadership team on the ground, combining international experience with deep knowledge of the Chinese market and the Audi brand. Our goal is to execute our strategy consistently, respond even faster to our customers’ needs and sustainably strengthen our competitiveness. At the same time, Rouven Mohr will ensure continuity at Audi Sport, drawing on his extensive experience in vehicle development. high performance.
cnevpost.com, audi.com, automobilwoche.de (DE)
