Pischetsrieder Is Not A Gottschalk Successor

2023 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 09:36

The Association of the Automotive Industry does not want to remain headless for long. After Helmut Panke's cancellation, another former board member was removed from the list of possible successors to Bernd Gottschalk.

The vacuum at the top of the Association of the Automotive Industry (VDA) is to be filled as quickly as possible after President Bernd Gottschalk's retirement. According to a report in the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”, the preferred candidate comes from BMW. All three vice presidents saw the ideal cast in former BMW boss Helmut Panke, it was said. But the wishes will not come true. Panke is not available as the new head of the German car association VDA. Panke has other plans, the German press agency learned on Monday from industry circles.

Pischetsrieder not among the candidates

Former Mercedes boss Jürgen Hubbert is also being treated as an interim solution. However, his advanced age speaks against him - Hubbert will be 68 years old this year. Bernd Pischetsrieder was deleted from the list of successors.

As it was said on Monday, there was an agreement at the (VDA) that no manager from the previous “front row” should become VDA boss. In addition, there should be a period of about two years between a candidacy as VDA boss and the departure from the previous top position. Pischetsrieder was only replaced by Martin Winterkorn at the top of the VW group at the beginning of the year. another former CEO.

Massive criticism from manufacturers

Gottschalk surprisingly announced his resignation as VDA president on Saturday. The 63-year-old has been at the head of the organization since 1996, which represents the interests of more than 500 companies in the automotive industry. He was only re-elected last year. The background to the resignation, to which the German car manufacturers reacted with great reluctance, was apparently the discussion about climate protection.

According to reports, there was also massive criticism that Gottschalk was not present at the political talk "Sabine Christiansen" on February 18, but was represented by the VDA economist. In particular, the Porsche CEO Wendelin Wiedeking attacked Gottschalk massively internally. Porsche would be hardest hit by a possible CO2 cap per vehicle, as is currently being discussed in the EU.