Porsche IPO central to funding electrification plans, VW's finance chief says

BERLIN -- Porsche's potential stock market listing is central to funding the automaker's electrification plans, Volkswagen Group's chief financial officer, Arno Antlitz, said, adding that a final decision had not been taken on the flotation.

VW's management and supervisory boards will meet later on Monday to discuss whether the long-anticipated listing of Porsche should go ahead in late September or early October.

Antlitz, appointed VW chief operating officer alongside his role as CFO on 1 September when Oliver Blume became group CEO, said in an internal VW interview that preparing the initial public offering had been a key part of his role in recent months.

"This is a key element for the group, especially because the possible proceeds would give us more flexibility to further accelerate the transformation," Antlitz said in the interview. "However, a decision has not yet been made."

It is not clear if VW will make a final decision on Monday, with Porsche SE saying in a statement on Saturday that listing's launch was still subject to further board discussions as well as market developments.

Some investors have questioned the timing of a stock market debut that would test the appeal of Europe's largest automaker at a time when big company valuations are under pressure amid uncertainty created by the Ukraine conflict and record energy costs.