MUNICH -- Volkswagen Group has appointed BMW development chief Herbert Diess to its management board.
Diess, 56, will take over as chairman of the Volkswagen passenger car brand from CEO Martin Winterkorn, effective Oct. 1, 2015, VW said in a statement today.
Winterkorn, 67, will remain CEO of the group, which also includes the Audi, Porsche, Bentley, Bugatti and Lamborghini brands, the company said.
"With Herbert Diess we will be welcoming an outstanding personality and one of the most capable minds in the automotive industry to our company. At the same time, this step puts the executive management of both the group and the brand on an even broader footing," Winterkorn said in the statement.
Diess has a doctorate in mechanical engineering. He joined BMW from supplier Robert Bosch in 1996 and has served on the automaker's management board since October 2007. He was named an Automotive News Europe Eurostar this year for his role in the launch of BMW's new “i” models.