I In the Volkswagen Group, the shock about the arrest of Audi CEO Rupert Stadler still seems to be deep. The CEO of the Group Herbert Diess It is difficult to understand why the head of one of the main subsidiaries has since been released. “That was really a huge shock for me,” Diess said. “The CEO of a major car brand in custody: This has never been.”
This, however, was demonstratively behind Stadler and defended its management qualities: He had “experienced Rupert Stadler as a problem solver,” said Diess. “As Audi boss, who has cleared up many things. For me, the arrest is therefore difficult to understand. “When asked if he could imagine a return of Stadler to the helm of Audi, Diess told the” Bild am Sonntag “:” It depends on the facts. If the allegations of the prosecutor’s office are correct, the decision is clear. ”
Diess leads the Supervisory Board of Audi and now also uses itself the term “Dieselgate”, which – based on the Watergate affair around the former president Richard Nixon – has naturalized as a catchphrase for the whole extent of diesel frauds. In the VW group had long been rather trivialized by the “diesel theme” spoken. “I have now set up a special committee on the board for Dieselgate, I have asked the responsible managers: They should sign a statement that the software components they are responsible for do not contain any illegal functions,” said Diess.
Also against Diess investigations are underway
Stadler had been arrested two weeks ago because of blackout in the diesel affair. The prosecutor Munich accuses him of fraud: Even after the Abgasbetrügereien at diesel cars uncovered in the United States in 2015, he is said to have continued selling manipulated cars in Europe. In addition, he is said to have planned, according to the investigators, the influence of witnesses or co-accused. How long he has to stay in custody is open.
Against this run – as well as against the former VW CEO Martin Winterkorn and Supervisory Board chief Hans Dieter Pötsch – investigations for possible market manipulation. They should have informed investors too late about the imminent consequences of the diesel scandal. Diess commented, “I am at peace with this topic because I am firmly convinced that I have nothing to blame.” The former BMW Manager was closed on 1 July 2015 VW come. The car company had admitted in September 2015, to have manipulated emissions tests on millions of diesel cars. The company had to recall a few million cars with manipulation software all over the world. The prosecutor Braunschweig investigates almost 50 alleged participants. There are no charges so far.
The successor to Audi was appointed by the sales director of the subsidiary, Bram Schot. Diess does not currently see a leadership crisis at Audi. “For us, the business is like this: If the CEO is some time away and the rest of the team is there, then you do not notice much,” said the VW boss. “It takes too long, then of course this is a problem. But I’m sure we’ll get out of there. ”
VW should become a tech company
According to Diess, the German car industry must adapt more quickly to technological challenges. Volkswagen have “the most pent-up demand, also because with us much is encrusted”. His goal was to turn VW into a tech company. “We will develop software ourselves. We will have direct customer contact. And then we will be worth as much as Apple, Google or Amazon. ”
From a completely different angle, Volkswagen could once again threaten new legal trouble. In the US state of Tennessee, a lawsuit was filed for alleged discrimination against older employees against the car maker, as the law firm Sanford Heisler Sharp announced on Friday. VW in the United States said: “We basically do not comment on ongoing labor lawsuits.” The Group is accused of pursuing a corporate-wide personnel policy that discriminates against employees aged over 50 years. In order to get a “younger and smoother” image after the diesel gate scandal, VW tries to eliminate older employees in management by illegal discrimination, the law firm claims. The lawsuit was opened in the name of a 60-year-old employee who allegedly worked in a senior capacity at the Volkswagen plant in Chattanooga, USA, until 2017. The firm is seeking a class action lawsuit that could be followed by additional employees.