Škoda Auto: Klaus Zellmer to leave the company

Mladá Boleslav, 21 September – Klaus Zellmer, Chairman of the Board of Management of Škoda Auto, is leaving the company after more than four successful years at the brand’s helm. Since taking office on 1 July 2022, he has steered the Czech car manufacturer through a period of far-reaching transformation, internationalisation and profitable growth.

Klaus Zellmer has informed the Supervisory Board that he intends to pursue new career opportunities outside the Volkswagen Group.

Under his leadership, Škoda Auto has greatly strengthened its position as one of Europe’s most successful volume brands. The brand rose from tenth place in the European registration rankings in 2022 to second place in the first half of 2026. At the same time, the company achieved record results in sales volumes, revenue and profitability, consistently advanced its e-mobility strategy and accelerated its internationalisation, particularly in India and Southeast Asia.

The Supervisory Board would like to thank Klaus Zellmer for his great commitment and his significant contribution to the continued development of the Škoda brand.

Thomas Schäfer, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Škoda Auto and Head of the Brand Group Core: “Klaus Zellmer has played an important role in shaping Škoda over the past few years. A recent example is the Škoda Epiq, part of the Electric Urban Car Family. We respect his personal decision to embark on a new chapter in his career and wish him every success for the future.”

Until a successor is appointed, Chief Financial Officer Holger Peters will lead the company on an interim basis. Together with the Board of Management, he will ensure the continued strategic and operational development of Škoda Auto. Holger Peters has been a member of the Škoda Auto Board of Management since 1 June 2023.

Klaus Zellmer: “The past few years at Škoda Auto have been an extraordinary and defining period for me. Alongside a unique and dedicated team, we have strengthened the brand, entered new markets and established Škoda as one of Europe’s most successful automotive brands. This success is above all down to the people at Škoda – their passion, expertise and commitment every single day. I would like to thank all Škodians from the bottom of my heart for this, as well as for their trust and excellent collaboration. The time has now come for me to take on a new challenge outside the Volkswagen Group. Škoda and the people behind this remarkable brand will always hold a special place in my professional life.”

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Škoda Auto

• is successfully steering through the new decade with the Next Level Škoda Strategy;
• aims to become one of the top three best-selling brands in Europe by the end of the decade by offering its customers the best of both worlds through a range of attractive BEV, hybrid & ICE products;
• effectively exploits the potential in important growth markets such as India, Vietnam and the ASEAN region;
• currently offers customers 14 passenger car model ranges: Fabia, Scala, Octavia, Superb, Kamiq, Karoq, Kodiaq, Epiq, Elroq, Enyaq, Peaq, Slavia, Kylaq and Kushaq;
• delivered more than 1,040,000 vehicles to customers worldwide in 2025;
• has been part of the Volkswagen Group, one of the world's most successful car manufacturers, for more than 30 years;
• is part of Brand Group CORE, an organisational merger of the Volkswagen Group's volume brands, with the aim of achieving joint growth and significantly increasing the overall efficiency of all five volume brands;
• independently develops and produces components such as MEB battery systems, engines and transmissions for other Volkswagen Group brands;
• operates three production plants in the Czech Republic; has production capacities in Spain, Slovakia, Kazakhstan and India, mostly through group partnerships, as well as in Vietnam and Ukraine in cooperation with a local partner;
• employs around 40,000 people worldwide and is active in almost 100 markets.