Skoda Auto Volkswagen India appoints Piyush Arora as new Managing Director

To enhance the leadership team in India, Skoda Auto Volkswagen India Private Limited (SAVWIPL) has announced significant additions to the Management Board. SAVWIPL's next Chairman will be Christian Schenk, a Skoda Auto Board Member for Finance and IT. As previously reported, Piyush Arora will join the Board of Directors as Managing Director of SAVWIPL, and Christian Cahn von Seelen will join the Board of Directors as Executive Director of Sales and Marketing.

In India, all Volkswagen Group brands will launch important projects in 2022. With the recent introduction of the Skoda Slavia and the following launch of the Volkswagen Notchback, SAVWIPL has reached the last mile of the INDIA 2.0 project. Audi, Porsche, and Lamborghini, the Group's premium brands, are preparing to launch exciting new models that will please customers and contribute to India's growth narrative. The Volkswagen T-Cross, the first car manufactured on the MQB-A0-IN platform and customised for the Indian market, has recently begun exports.

In 1999, Christian Schenk joined the Volkswagen Group. Since October 1, 2021, he has been a member of the Skoda Auto Board of Directors for Finance and IT. He will collaborate closely with the India leadership team to maximise the Group's growth possibilities in the area.

Piyush Arora, a senior automotive executive with over 30 years of experience, joins SAVWIPL from Mercedes-Benz India, where he held a number of key positions, including Supervisory Board posts at Mercedes-Benz Indonesia and Mercedes-Benz Vietnam, where he oversaw their operations. He was most recently Executive Director and Head of Operations at Mercedes-Benz India, where he headed the operations business.

Christian Cahn von Seelen has been with Skoda Auto since 2011. He was responsible for India, China, North Africa and Russia as Head of Management of Global Regions at Skoda Auto, and as Chairman of SAVWIPL, he has been involved with the activities of the combined organisation SAVWIPL since its inception. He was previously the Chairman of Skoda Auto India Pvt. Ltd.

Commenting on the appointments, Thomas Schafer, CEO of Skoda Auto said, "In line with our vision to be the leading European automotive brand in India, I am delighted to welcome this group of seasoned professionals to bolster the leadership team in India. I am confident that Christian Cahn von Seelen's understanding of SAVWIPL's business in India right from inception, and his strong relationships at HQ, will complement Piyush Arora's deep knowledge and experience of the Indian automotive sector. Along with Christian Schenk's support at HQ, this leadership team is fully geared to accelerate our growth in the Indian market."

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