Volvo Cars has appointed Klaus Zellmer of Skoda as its new president and CEO, with him set to take office no later than 1 October 2027. This will mark the company’s third change at the top in three years, with strengthening its presence in the Chinese market as a central priority.
Volvo Cars announced that it has appointed Klaus Zellmer, the current CEO of Skoda Auto, as its new president and CEO. He will take office no later than 1 October 2027, marking the company’s third change at the top since 2022. He will take over as CEO from Håkan Samuelsson, who had only returned last year for a second term.
Zellmer is 59 and has more than 30 years of experience in the global automotive industry, having led Skoda, part of the Volkswagen Group. Chairman Li Shufu (李書福) praised him for his “outstanding track record in driving transformation and managing organizations through changing market conditions,” saying that his experience across both markets made him the best choice. Ahead of the change, Samuelsson and the board of directors said they would ensure a smooth transition.
In the largest-scale global product offensive announced on 17 September, the company outlined plans to launch 13 new models by the end of 2030, with 7 developed for Western markets and 6 exclusively for China. For the models targeting China, the company will expand its technology cooperation with Geely Holding, using shared platforms, software, components and supply chains. It also set a target of raising the full commonality rate for components from the current 10% to approximately 30%, reducing material costs by approximately 5%.