Volkswagen Group of America has named former Rivian executive Kjell Gruner as its new CEO and president of the Volkswagen brand for North America, the automaker announced Tuesday.
Gruner’s appointment is effective Dec. 12, the company said. He takes over for Pablo Di Si who resigned after serving in the role since September 2022. Di Si stepped down at his own request, according to the release.
The company appointed Gerrit Spengler, chief human resources officer of Volkswagen Group of America, as interim CEO until Gruner officially takes over the post.
Volkswagen said Gruner is an experienced manager who understands the North American market.
"The North American market with Canada, Mexico, and the USA is an important strategic pillar for the Volkswagen Group,” Arno Antlitz, CFO and COO of the Volkswagen Group said in a statement. “With Kjell Gruner, we brought on board an experienced manager who knows the market and customers extremely well and will continue to consistently pursue the growth path we have embarked on."
Gruner’s appointment follows last week’s launch of Rivian and Volkswagen’s $5.8 billion joint venture to develop electric vehicle platforms and software.
Gruner has over 25 years of automotive experience and most recently served as chief commercial officer and president of business growth at Rivian since September 2023, according to his LinkedIn profile. He previously served as the director strategy Mercedes-Benz Cars, before moving on to serve as global chief marketing officer at Porsche AG in Stuttgart. Gruner was named president and CEO of Porsche Cars North America in November 2020 and served in the role until September.
As Volkswagen targets growth in the North America, Gunnar Kilian, group board member for human resources at Volkswagen AG, believes he’s the right choice for the job. "Kjell Gruner is an absolute expert for the US market,” Kilian said in the release. “He has over 25 years of experience in the automotive industry and extensive know-how in exploiting and expediting growth opportunities in North America.”
The automaker said it delivered 769,000 vehicles to North America through the first nine months of the year, a 7% year-over-year increase adding that its U.S. YoY sales grew 1.5% during the same period, the company said in the release. Deliveries in North America increased by 21.7% in the first three quarters of 2024 compared to last year.
