Head of Volkswagen Strategy Takes Over as Audi CEO After Slow Transition to EVs

Audi's CEO Markus Duesmann has been replaced by Gernot Doellner, Volkswagen Group's head of strategy, due to dissatisfaction with Audi's lagging transition to electric vehicles.
Doellner, an automotive industry veteran, is expected to accelerate Audi's electrification plans and improve its position in key markets like China where sales have declined.
Duesmann, a former BMW executive, became Audi CEO in 2020 and has pushed for greater electrification but the pace of change has frustrated company leadership.
Doellner will take over from Duesmann on September 1 as Audi prepares to release a new all-electric SUV model called the Q6 e-tron.
The leadership change is the latest sign of Volkswagen Group's urgency to transition its premium brands to battery-powered models and catch up to competitors in the fast-growing EV market.