Mindt will take over from Michael Mauer at the start of March; will continue to also lead brand design
Volkswagen brand boss Andreas Mindt will now also take on the wider role as Volkswagen Group boss, starting 1 March.
Mindt takes over from Michael Mauer, who has held the role for eight years over two stints which began in 2015.
Mauer (pictured below) – who recently also stepped down as head of design for Porsche after 21 years in the role – leaves in what VWG describes on “amicable terms” and as part of a “generational transition”.
He’s successor Mindt – an Autocar Awards winner – has led VW’s design since 2023. There he has transformed the brand’s design, but most notably with the new wave of incoming EVs such as the ID Cross and ID Polo (the concept of which he penned in just six weeks).
Previously he was design chief at Bentley and Audi – the latter where he helped pen the brand’s first EVs, most notably the E-tron SUV (now badged Q4 e-tron). He also started his career with VWG back in 1996.
In his new Group-wide role, which he will do alongside his current Brand role, Mindt will be tasked with “sharpening” and coordinating design across the entire Group which includes Skoda, Cupra, Audi and more. VWG has not confirmed if Mindt will transition to solely focus on the Group role, although that seems an obvious transition.
VWG CEO Oliver Blume, who Mindt will now directly report to, said of the new design boss: “With his track record at the Volkswagen brand and his expertise, he has made a significant impact in a short time and played a key role in ensuring that our cars are clearly recognisable as genuine Volkswagen models again.”
Speaking about Mauer, Blume added “Mauer achieved precisely what we set out to do in a short time. The individual brands developed their DNA and pinpointed their positioning. Their iconic models authentically and emotionally reflect their origin – and deliver what our customers around the world expect from us.”
