Niels Wichmann has been appointed as the new Head of Volkswagen Passenger Cars Brand effective 1 August 2023.
Wichmann replaces Steffen Knapp who has been appointed as the brand head of Volkswagen Taiwan.
Wichmann, 51, joins Volkswagen Group South Africa (VWSA) from Volkswagen’s headquarters in Wolfsburg where he was head of Product Marketing for small/compact cars such as Polo.
He has been working for Volkswagen since 2000. During this time, Wichmann has held various management positions in sales within the Volkswagen Brand, including a global assignment in Brazil.
“Niels brings with him a wealth of experience in sales and product marketing, which will help us to move the brand to the next level, especially at this time when it is faced with tough competition in the local market.
“He will also play an important role in our growth strategy in sub-Saharan Africa,” said Thomas Milz, VWSA Sales and Marketing Director.
Ahead of the 2026 State of the Nation Address (SONA), Zero Carbon Charge (CHARGE) has once again called on the President and national government to act decisively on South Africa’s electric vehicle transition.
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