As part of these organizational changes, the Volkswagen Group is filling additional key leadership positions:
Martin Sander will succeed Marco Schubert as the new Member of the Board of Management for Sales and Marketing at the Audi brand from October 1, 2026. He will also become a member of the Extended Executive Committee of Volkswagen Group, reporting directly to the CEO of Volkswagen Group. Sander is currently the Board Member for Sales, Marketing and After Sales at the Volkswagen brand.
Oliver Blume: “Martin Sander has played a pivotal role in driving the growth and development of Volkswagen brand sales in recent years. Drawing on his extensive expertise, he will now work to strategically advance our premium brand, Audi, in a challenging market environment. As a member of the Extended Executive Committee of Volkswagen Group, he will also strengthen the cross-brand foundation for global sales.“
Martin Jahn will succeed Martin Sander as of 1 October 2026 as member of the Volkswagen Brand Board of Management responsible for Sales, Marketing and After Sales. Jahn’s current role is Member of the Board of Management for Sales and Marketing at Škoda.
Martina Biene is taking over Martin Jahn’s role as of 1 October 2026 and will lead Sales and Marketing at Škoda. Biene is currently Chair and Managing Director of Volkswagen Group Africa.
Christiane Zorn is becoming the new Chair and Managing Director of Volkswagen Group Africa. She is taking on this role from Martina Biene 1 October 2026 and will report directly to Thomas Schäfer.
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Marco Schubert has more than 25 years of experience at the Volkswagen Group, during which he has successfully held numerous key leadership positions in important international markets. At Audi, he headed, among other things, the North Europe Region and worked as Managing Director in Sweden. He was then Head of Sales for Asia and the overseas markets at Škoda until 2018.
As President of the Audi Sales Company in China, the native of Magdeburg spent three years managing the sales activities of the world’s most important individual automotive market in a challenging global environment. He then assumed responsibility for Region Europe at Porsche.
Since September 2024, Marco Schubert has served as a Member of the Board of Management for Sales and Marketing at Audi and as a member of the Extended Executive Committee of Volkswagen Group with responsibility for Sales, Marketing and After Sales.
Marco Schubert has future-proofed sales at Volkswagen Group – also by realigning fleet management, improving after sales performance and sustainably strengthening collaboration between OEMs, importers and dealers.
Martin Sander, who holds a degree in engineering, brings 25 years of experience in the automotive industry. During his tenure at Audi AG, he served in a range of leadership roles across North America and Europe, including as Senior Vice President of Sales for Europe, Germany, Americas and the UK. Sander was Chairman of the Board of Management of Ford-Werke GmbH and General Manager Ford Model e for Ford of Europe. Since July 2024, he has been responsible for Sales, Marketing and After Sales as a member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Passenger Cars.
Martin Jahn began his career in the Volkswagen Group in 2006 as Board Member for Human Resources at Škoda. He was subsequently appointed as Managing Director of Volkswagen Group NSC in Russia, where he was responsible for Group Sales. From 2010 to 2016, Jahn became Managing Director of the Volkswagen Group’s international fleet business in Wolfsburg. In 2016, he was appointed Executive Vice President for Sales & Marketing and Managing Director of the Volkswagen brand at FAW-VW in Changchun, China. Jahn has been Board Member for Sales and Marketing at Škoda Auto since March 2021.
Martina Biene joined Volkswagen in 2001. She fulfilled various roles in the Volkswagen Group including Strategy and Sales of Premium Vehicles, Area Sales Manager for Belgium and Luxembourg, Head of Product Planning for Germany, Head of Global Product Marketing and Head of the Volkswagen Brand in South Africa. In August 2020, she was appointed as Head of Volkswagen’s Small and Compact Product Line. Since September 2022, she has served as Chair and Managing Director of Volkswagen Group Africa.
Christiane Zorn has worked in the automotive industry for 20 years. After several years as a consultant at the Boston Consulting Group, she joined BMW in 2013, with posts in Munich and Beijing. Starting in March 2020, she held various management roles at Audi, including as Head of Sales China, Head of Product Marketing and Head of Product Strategy. In May 2025, she joined Porsche AG as Vice President Region Overseas.
Kjell Gruner has more than 25 years of experience in management consulting and the automotive industry. He started as a consultant at the Boston Consulting Group in 1997. He then took up management positions at Porsche AG in Stuttgart before moving to DaimlerChrysler AG in 2004, where he headed the strategy department at Mercedes Benz Cars. In 2010, he moved back to Porsche AG as Global Chief Marketing Officer before becoming President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America in 2020. He subsequently moved to Rivian Automotive, Inc. as Chief Commercial Officer and President, Business Growth. Since December 2024, he has served as President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America and CEO of the Volkswagen North American Region.