Dr Harald Ludanek is new head of development at Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles

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•  Hans-Joachim Rothenpieler heads quality assurance for Volkswagen Group

Hannover/Wolfsburg, 8 February 2016:  Dr #haraldludanek (57) has been appointed new Board Member for Technical Development at #volkswagencommercialvehicles brand in Hannover. He is currently Member of the Scania Executive Board and Executive Vice President, Head of Research and Development. Ludanek succeeds Hans-Joachim Rothenpieler (58), who will take over as Head of Quality Assurance in the Volkswagen Group from 15 February 2016.

Dr Eckhard Scholz, Chairman of the Board of Management of #volkswagencommercialvehicles brand: “We are delighted to have gained another experienced expert for this division in Dr #haraldludanek. He will be responsible for the continuing development of our brand, our models and hence for a coherent strategic approach to automotive issues of the future.These include electric mobility, autonomous driving and the intelligent networking of different means of transport.”

Dr #haraldludanek (57) holds a PhD in mechanical engineering and has been with the Group since 1992. He began his professional career at Volkswagen researching special gear units and transmission technology. His functions included head of Group development coordination. Ludanek was Member of the Board of Directors for Technical Development at ŠKODA from 2002 to 2007. He subsequently assumed responsibility for total vehicle development and prototype construction at the Volkswagen brand. As Executive Board Member of Scania CVAB in Södertälje, he has headed research and development since 2012.

Ludanek succeeds Hans-Joachim Rothenpieler, who since July 2014 had been Member of the Board of Management of #volkswagencommercialvehicles responsible for the Development division.

Scholz thanked Rothenpieler on behalf of the Management Board for his work at #volkswagencommercialvehicles: “Hans-Joachim Rothenpieler had an outstanding comprehension of how to position #volkswagencommercialvehicles with top-quality products. During his time as Head of Development both the sixth generation of the T series and the new Caddy with wide-ranging technical innovations were launched.”

Hans-Joachim Rothenpieler (58) holds a degree in mechanical engineering and joined the Group in 1986. From 1994 he held various senior management positions in development at the ŠKODA, Bentley and Volkswagen Passenger Cars brands. He was named head of quality assurance at Volkswagen AG in 2007 and appointed board of management spokesman and managing director for engineering at Volkswagen Sachsen GmbH in 2010. He has been Board Member for Technical Development at the #volkswagencommercialvehicles brand since 2014.