Just days after Volkswagen Group Africa celebrated 75 years in SA, the company is facing a major change, with chair and managing director Martina Biene set to leave the Kariega-based operation for a senior role at Skoda Auto.
She will join Skoda Auto as the new board member for sales and marketing on October 1.
Biene became the first woman appointed as chair and managing director at Volkswagen Group Africa (VWGA) in November 2022.
It was her second stint at VWGA following her tenure as head of the Volkswagen passenger brand from October 2018 to August 2020.
At that time, she steered the brand to achieve a record market share of 20.4% in 2019.
Under Biene’s leadership, Volkswagen’s manufacturing plant in Kariega achieved its highest production volume at 167,084 units in 2024.
In the same year, the company announced a R4bn investment to produce a third model, the Tengo.
The Tengo was officially unveiled this week as part of the 75th anniversary celebrations.
Biene also served as the president of the Association of African Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM) from October 2023 until July 2026.
Biene will be succeeded by Christiane Zorn, vice president, region overseas, at Porsche AG.
Zorn has 20 years of work experience in the automotive industry.
She joined BMW in 2013 after several years as a consultant at the Boston Consulting Group.
Her tenure at BMW included roles in Munich and Beijing.
From March 2020, she held various management roles at Audi, including head of sales for China, head of product marketing and head of product strategy.
Zorn will officially take over the reins at VWGA on October 1, pending the completion of the necessary regulatory and statutory processes.
“I am excited to join Volkswagen Group Africa and play my part in driving the future of Volkswagen in Africa with the team,” Zorn said.
Biene said it had been an honour to lead and work with such a resilient team.
“Despite the challenges facing both the automotive industry and our company, we have achieved many milestones worth celebrating.
“The early launch of the Tengo ranks highly among these achievements for what it will bring to plant Kariega production and our SUV sales offensive plans in SA and other markets on the African continent.”
The anniversary gala, attended by President Cyril Ramaphosa and senior Volkswagen executives, also saw the unveiling of the new Tengo SUV, which is due to enter production at the plant in 2027.
The Kariega plant has produced nearly 40 different models and more than 4.8-million vehicles over the past 75 years.
It is currently the sole global production hub for the Volkswagen Polo, exporting the model to 38 countries, while also producing the Polo Vivo for the local market.
The anniversary also highlighted Volkswagen’s wider contribution to the region.
The company employs about 3,600 people at the plant, supports 1,440 suppliers and its wider operations are estimated to sustain about 50,000 indirect jobs.
It has also invested more than R800m in corporate social investment since 1994, including the recent launch of the LEAP 9 Science and Mathematics School in KwaNobuhle.
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