Matthias Muller is new chairman of Audi AG, Dr Knirsch replaces Hackenberg as technical head

Volkswagen’s chairman of the Board of Management, Matthias Müller, has joined the Supervisory Board of Audi AG and becomes its chairman with immediate effect. Berthold Huber will continue to be deputy chairman. Furthermore, the two vacant seats for members representing the shareholders will be newly occupied by Julia Kuhn Piëch and Josef Ahorner.

Matthias Müller has been a member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG since March 1, 2015 and its chairman since September 25, 2015.

After graduating in informatics, Müller continued his career at Audi in 1978, progressing to become the Head of Product Management for the Audi, Lamborghini and Seat brands. From 2007 onwards, Müller was head of product management for the Volkswagen Group and the VW brand as well as executive VP of the Volkswagen Group. From 2010 until September 2015, Matthias Müller was the chairman of the board of management of Porsche AG.

Dr Stefan Knirsch takes over from Dr Ulrich Hackenberg

In wake of the the VW emissions scandal, Dr Ulrich Hackenberg had stepped down has the technical boss for Audi. He will be replaced by Dr Stefan Knirsch (49) as the new Member of the Board of Management for Technical Development at Audi AG. Knirsch will take over this position as of January 1, 2016.

Commenting on Knirsch’s appointment, Matthias Müller, the new supervisory board chairman for Audi said, “Stefan Knirsch has a broad experience of the automotive industry, and not only from the perspective of a car manufacturer, but also of a supplier. These are excellent qualifications for his new task.”

Also commenting on the appointment was Audi board of management chairman Rupert Stadler, “Stefan Knirsch has a good knowledge of the Group and of Technical Development at Audi. We know him as a creative and visionary man of action. With him, we will make a strong new start in this challenging situation.”