Škoda Auto CEO Klaus Zellmer to Leave and Take the Helm at Volvo

Klaus Zellmer, CEO of the Czech carmaker Škoda Auto, is stepping down from his post to become the new head of Sweden's Volvo Cars. Škoda Auto's head of corporate communications, Josef Baláž, confirmed the departure, adding that further details about the company's future and the appointment of a new CEO will be announced at a later date.

News of Zellmer's move to Volvo came as a surprise — the company announced it with no prior rumours and more than a year before he is actually due to take up the role. Zellmer is set to become president and CEO of Volvo Cars no later than 1 October 2027.

Who Is Volvo's New Chief?

Volvo Cars Chairman Eric Li explained the choice by pointing to Zellmer's deep industry expertise, extensive international management experience, and a proven track record of leading organisations through transformation and shifting market conditions.

Zellmer himself said he was delighted to be joining Volvo Cars at such a pivotal moment in the company's development. Few car brands, he noted, have built as strong and enduring a reputation for safety, or championed that core value within the mobility industry so consistently. He also said he admired Volvo's design language — modern yet timeless — and the brand's clear identity.

Before joining Škoda Auto, Zellmer served on the board of Volkswagen's passenger car division, where he was responsible for marketing, sales and after-sales service. Earlier in his career, he spent more than 20 years at Porsche in a series of senior management roles.

Record Results at Škoda Under His Leadership

Under Zellmer, Škoda Auto climbed into the ranks of Europe's best-selling car brands and posted record results in 2025. The company kept up that momentum in the first half of 2026, notching a record number of electric vehicle deliveries.

Leadership Change and Volvo's Ambitious Plans

Volvo's current chief executive, Jim Rowan — who has led the company across two stints, from 2012 to 2022 and again since April 2025 — said last week that once his contract expires next April, he does not intend to continue working full-time, Reuters reports.

On Thursday, Volvo Cars held a strategy day at which Rowan unveiled an ambitious plan to launch 13 new models by 2030. The company's goal is to double its market share as it grapples with the fallout from US tariffs and slumping sales in China.

The Swedish automaker, majority-owned by China's Geely Holding, has struggled to hit its previous profitability targets amid tariffs, weak demand for electric vehicles and high development costs. It also faces the increasingly tricky task of separating Western and Chinese technology in order to keep selling cars in the US, where sister brand Polestar is at risk of a sales ban.

Source: novinky.cz