Volkswagen Appoints New CMO From Inside

Volkswagen Group has promoted from inside to fill the vacant world chief advertising and marketing officer (CMO) area at its eponymous model, appointing Susanne Franz to the place.

Franz has led world advertising and marketing for the group’s Audi model since 2019. Now, she shall be tasked with overseeing Volkswagen’s advertising and marketing efforts globally for its passenger automotive enterprise.

Amongst her core remit shall be increasing the German automotive marque’s total buyer expertise internationally, and making Volkswagen the model that may shift most vehicles globally.

The appointment follows the current departure of world CMO, Nelly Kennedy, who stepped down in Feb. 2023 after simply over 12 months within the position for private causes.

In an announcement, Volkswagen’s gross sales and advertising and marketing chief, Imelda Labbe, stated: “Together with her sturdy understanding of the model and her omnichannel advertising and marketing experience, Susanne will play a key position in additional boosting VW internationally and carrying our iconic model values by means of the transformation into the long run.”

A protracted highway forward

Earlier than main Audi’s advertising and marketing division, Franz was chargeable for advertising and marketing at Volkswagen’s Spanish sister firm, Seat.

Previous to becoming a member of Volkswagen Group in 2012, she served as advertising and marketing director for Stellantis model Alfa Romeo and normal supervisor for advertising and marketing at Suzuki.

Franz takes the advertising and marketing reigns at Volkswagen towards the backdrop of a market in flux. Demand for electrical autos (EV) is booming in markets together with the U.S. and China, however it’s shedding steam in Europe already. December 2023 information from the European Vehicle Producers’ Affiliation (identified by its French acronym ACEA) confirmed EV gross sales within the remaining month of 2023 declined for the primary time since April 2020 by 16.9%.

Like its German rivals, BMW and Mercedes, the model is scrambling to bolster gross sales amid extraordinarily powerful competitors from Chinese language automotive startups, that are providing aggressive costs throughout the continent.

In November, Volkswagen’s chief govt (CEO) for its passenger enterprise, Thomas Schäfer, instructed workers: “With lots of our preexisting buildings, processes and excessive prices, we’re now not aggressive because the Volkswagen model.” He has initiated a three-year mission to “restore core model competitiveness” and future-proof the enterprise in consequence.