Autoblog

Bentley/Bugatti chief Durheimer moving to Audi in management shake-up

Noah Joseph — Sun, 13 May 2012 14:04:00 EST

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Volkswagen

Running a high-end automobile manufacturer like Bentley or Bugatti has got to be a dream job for most any business executive. And Wolfgang Dürheimer gets to run them both - but not for much longer, according to the latest reports coming in from trade publication Automotive News Europe.

According to ANE, the former Porsche development chief is set to move to Audi in a broad management restructure aimed at reducing the average age of Ingolstadt's seven-member management board. In his new capacity, Dürheimer (53) is tipped to replace Audi's current development chief, Michael Dick (60), who is expected to retire later this year.

Along with Dürheimer, Volkswagen marketing director Luca de Meo (44, formerly of Fiat) is expected to replace Audi sales chief Peter Schwartzenbauer (60), while Volkswagen purchasing manager Bernd Martens replaces his Audi counterpart Ulf Berkenhagen, who will take up the same role at the group's commercial vehicles division. Audi production chief Frank Dreves is also expected to leave his post, though no replacement was named in the report.

Of course with any game of musical chairs - or "Reise nach Jerusalem" as they call it in German for some reason - replacements will need to be found for the positions being left vacant. We'll be watching who is named head of Bentley and Bugatti, both roles that Dürheimer assumed from Dr. Franz-Josef Paefgen (pictured above at right), who last we heard was still in the group organizing its classic vehicles division.

Bentley/Bugatti chief Durheimer moving to Audi in management shake-up originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 13 May 2012 14:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Contract Killer? Luca De Meo's move from Fiat to VW may be held up by non-compete clause

Noah Joseph — Fri, 23 Jan 2009 11:01:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Volkswagen, Fiat

Luca De Meo's appointment as chief marketing officer for the Volkswagen Group could be delayed for a while. De Meo left Fiat, where he held the posts of group chief marketing officer as well as CEO of both Alfa Romeo and Abarth, ten days ago, and was reported soon thereafter to take the VW job. We say it could be held up not because we don't know, but because really nobody does.

The specific subject of debate is a non-compete clause in De Meo's contract with Fiat that would, if valid, prevent him from working for another automaker for a full year. But sources differ on whether the clause stands. Some argue that it has already lapsed, while others claim it is valid. Push come to shove, CEOs Martin Winterkorn and Sergio Marchionne of the Volkswagen and Fiat groups respectively could settle the matter between themselves without the need for going to court.

[Source: Automotive News Europe - subs. req'd]

Contract Killer? Luca De Meo's move from Fiat to VW may be held up by non-compete clause originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 23 Jan 2009 11:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Fiat marketing chief & Alfa Romeo CEO Luca de Meo defects to Volkswagen

Noah Joseph — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 06:58:00 EST

Filed under: Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Marketing/Advertising, Volkswagen, Alfa Romeo, Fiat

Luca de Meo was charting a course to rise to the top of the Fiat group, but if reports emanating from Europe are accurate, he's changed directions as the promising young auto executive has reportedly left Fiat to become the new head of marketing for the Volkswagen group.

De Meo took his biggest step up the Fiat ladder when group CEO Sergio Marchionne handed over the reins of the Fiat auto division to him. De Meo then took on the additional task of re-launching the Abarth performance sub-brand before switching from the Fiat division to assume the leadership of Alfa Romeo as well as marketing for the entire group, including its automotive, agricultural and commercial divisions. Poaching Marchionne's protégé is undoubtedly a huge coup for Volkswagen, whose leaders are evidently banking on De Meo's talent for marketing small, cheap cars - having masterminded the 500's success and most recently formulated the plan for Fiat's new budget-oriented division - to imbue the up! project with success while giving the entire Volkswagen automotive empire and the 100 new projects on which it is reportedly working a youthful Latin flair.

De Meo joins a roster of Italians who've recently come to VW, Europe's largest automaker, and another list of talented young executives who've left Fiat, Europe's third largest (after PSA Peugeot-Citroen). Alfa's longtime marketing director and Fiat group veteran Sergio Cravero is tipped to take over as CEO of Alfa Romeo, Maserati CEO and group chief technical officer Harald J. Wester will assume responsibility for Abarth while the group's marketing role will be split into several different jobs. No word yet on what effect this will have on Volkswagen's current sales and marketing director Detlef Wittig, however.

[Source: Automotive News Europe - Sub. Req.]

REPORT: Fiat marketing chief & Alfa Romeo CEO Luca de Meo defects to Volkswagen originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 15 Jan 2009 06:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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BREAKING: Luca de Meo announced as new Alfa Romeo CEO

Noah Joseph — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 19:32:00 EST

Filed under: Europe, Hirings/Firings/Layoffs, Alfa Romeo, Fiat

You'd be smiling, too...

According to emerging reports, Luca De Meo is being appointed as the new chief executive of Alfa Romeo, succeeding Antonio Baravalle who recently announced his departure.

De Meo is credited with the recent rejuvenation of the Fiat brand, overseeing the introduction of the enormously successful Grande Punto, followed by the new Bravo and most recently the hot new 500 retro-hatch. The industry was shocked when De Meo stepped down as Fiat brand CEO just a few months ago to assume a new position in the parent company as Chief Marketing Officer for the entire Fiat Group. De Meo will be retaining the marketing position in addition to his new responsibilities as head of Alfa Romeo, while keeping his third post as head of the Abarth division, which he launched during his tenure as Fiat brand CEO.

With the new appointment, it becomes all the more clear that Luca De Meo is being groomed to take over from Fiat Group chief Sergio Marchionne, whom he succeeded as Fiat brand CEO and remains the only one with more responsibilities in the Fiat empire than De Meo (with the possible exception of his namesake Luca di Montezemolo, president of Ferrari, chairman of the Fiat Group and head of industrial alliance Confindustria).

As Marchionne pointed out, the duality of De Meo's positions put him "in the ideal position" to spearhead Alfa Romeo's imminent return to the North American market.

[Source: Italiaspeed]

BREAKING: Luca de Meo announced as new Alfa Romeo CEO originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 11 Dec 2007 19:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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