Herbert Diess: “The traditionally high quality standards of our vehicles, combined with the digital customer experience, are now more critical to success than ever before. We are strengthening our cross-brand quality management, thus responding to the growing requirements arising from digitalization and e-mobility. In Frank Welsch, we will have an experienced vehicle expert and engineer at the helm of Group Quality Assurance. This new key function is now in excellent hands.” Among other positions, Welsch was Head of Development at SAIC VOLKSWAGEN in China, at ŠKODA in the Czech Republic and at Volkswagen Passenger Cars in Wolfsburg. To ensure a consistent quality level, the quality assurance heads of the brands will in future also report to Welsch in a functional capacity.
“Our key aim is to have delighted customers – throughout the entire life of the vehicle. As we move toward e-mobility and digitalization, many new opportunities will arise that will allow us to get even closer to our customers, their requirements and their preferences. This will range from the charging process through digital services down to the complete networking of the vehicle. Our new structure lays the foundations for taking systematic advantage of these opportunities within the Group alliance,” said Frank Welsch.
Frank Welsch has previously been Chief Development Officer of Volkswagen Passenger Cars. His successor in that function will be Thomas Ulbrich, who has to date been the Member of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen Brand responsible for E-Mobility, in particular the ID.3 and ID.4 vehicle projects. Herbert Diess: “Thomas Ulbrich has made his mark on the transformation of the Volkswagen brand toward e-mobility, and I am pleased that, as Chief Development Officer, he will continue to be a driving force in the brand’s digitalization.”