VW's new Europe sales boss to lead shift to agency sales, counter EV slowdown

Volkswagen Group has appointed company veteran Thomas Owsianski to head European sales for its namesake brand.

Owsianski faces two big tasks in the role: boosting sales of VW brand's ID range of battery-electric cars and overseeing a successful introduction of the agency retail model for EV sales in the automaker's European markets.

VW has cancelled shifts and laid off contract workers at its German car factories as EV sales fall behind projections.

The plant in Zwickau, which builds the VW ID3 and ID4, Audi Q4 E-tron and Cupra Born, is barely working to capacity. The production lines in Emden, which produces the ID4 and ID7, have also been idle several times recently.

VW is rolling out a shift to the agency retail model electric car sales across its European markets. Under the system, VW directly invoices customers, while dealerships receive a fixed fee for a sale.

The sales model is already in place in Germany but solutions for other European markets are pending. It will be the job of Owsianski to deliver them.

VW brand remained Europe's top-selling car brand in 2023 with sales up 12 percent to 1.36 million. It has a 10.6 percent market share in the EU, EFTA and UK markets, according to industry association ACEA.

Owsianski, a German national, will start in the role on April 1, moving from his job as head of sales and marketing for VW's South American business.

VW brand's current Europe sales boss, Manfred Kantner, will become the brand's head of product marketing.

Owsianski joined VW Group in 2012 as Skoda's marketing chief. Previously he worked for Ford Motor and General Motors, where he was Opel/Vauxhall head of marketing from 2009 to 2012. He held posts for Skoda and Audi in China before moving to South America.