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Bugatti Rimac

Automotive / Hypercars & Electric PropulsionFounded 2021
Reviewed by Swet Parvadiya
Company data updated: October 2026

Leadership History

Bugatti Rimac: CEO History

4 leaders · 2018 to present

Who is the CEO of Bugatti Rimac?

Marko Brkljačić is the CEO of Bugatti Rimac, in the role since 2026. The first chief executive was Mate Rimac, from 2021.

Current CEO
Marko Brkljačić (since 2026)
First CEO
Mate Rimac (2021)
Leaders documented
5
Founded
2021
NameRoleFromToYears in role
Mate RimacChief Executive Officer; President of Bugatti Automobiles from September 20262021Present5
Christophe PiochonPresident of Bugatti Automobiles and Chief Operating Officer of Bugatti Rimac202120265
Hendrik MalinowskiManaging Director of Bugatti Automobiles; Chief Commercial Officer from 20262021Present5
Stephan WinkelmannPresident of Bugatti (before the joint venture)201820213

Company Overview

Bugatti Rimac brings together two very different carmakers. Bugatti, founded by Ettore Bugatti in Molsheim in 1909 and revived by Volkswagen in 1998, built the Veyron and Chiron around a quad-turbo W16 engine. Rimac Automobili, founded by Mate Rimac in Croatia in 2009, built electric hypercars and the battery technology behind them. Porsche, which held Bugatti within Volkswagen Group, folded it into a joint venture with Rimac in 2021, giving Rimac Group 55 percent and control. Five years later Porsche sold out, leaving Bugatti owned by Rimac Group and a HOF Capital-led investor group. The historic ultra-luxury hypercar alliance was forged in Sveta Nedelja, Croatia, representing a massive paradigm shift as a century-old French combustion icon was essentially absorbed by a young Croatian electric vehicle prodigy.

Mate Rimac

Chief Executive Officer; President of Bugatti Automobiles from September 2026

2021 – Present

5 years (current)

Key Decisions & Impact

Negotiated the 2021 joint venture that gave Rimac Group control of Bugatti, chose a naturally aspirated V16 hybrid rather than a fully electric drivetrain for the Chiron's successor, backed the La Manufacture expansion in Molsheim, and took over as President of Bugatti Automobiles when Porsche's exit closed in September 2026.

Legacy

Leads both the Rimac Nevera and the Bugatti Tourbillon programmes, and founded and still runs Rimac Group as founder and president.

Source →

Christophe Piochon

President of Bugatti Automobiles and Chief Operating Officer of Bugatti Rimac

2021 – 2026

5 years

Key Decisions & Impact

Ran Molsheim through the end of the W16 era and the preparation for the Tourbillon, including new offices in 2024 and La Manufacture in 2026.

Legacy

Spent 24 years at Bugatti, from quality director during the Veyron launch to president. Molsheim grew from about 70 staff in 2013 to nearly 200. He steps down with the 2026 leadership change and leaves on 31 October 2026.

Source →

Hendrik Malinowski

Managing Director of Bugatti Automobiles; Chief Commercial Officer from 2026

2021 – Present

5 years (current)

Key Decisions & Impact

Managing director of Bugatti Automobiles since November 2021, named in September 2026 as the brand's chief commercial officer.

Legacy

Leads Bugatti's sales and customer side as the Tourbillon moves to deliveries.

Source →

Stephan Winkelmann

President of Bugatti (before the joint venture)

2018 – 2021

3 years

Key Decisions & Impact

Winkelmann aggressively expanded Bugatti's 'few-off' model strategy (like the Divo and Centodieci), massively increasing profit margins per vehicle by utilizing the existing Chiron chassis.

Legacy

He served as President of Bugatti immediately prior to the merger with Rimac, ensuring the company achieved consistent profitability before the Volkswagen Group divested its direct control.

Source →

Other senior executives

These officers report to the chief executive and are not part of the CEO timeline above.

  • Marko Brkljačić, Chief Operating Officer (2026 – present)Brkljačić managed the highly complex financial and structural separation of Rimac Automobili into two distinct entities: Bugatti Rimac (the hypercar maker) and Rimac Technology (the tier-1 supplier).Source →

Challenges & Strategic Context

Bugatti Rimac's risks sit in a handful of programmes. The Tourbillon had not yet received type approval in September 2026, with assembly in La Manufacture due to start and first deliveries expected around the end of 2026, so the sales from 250 cars depend on that launch running to plan. The Rimac Nevera has sold slowly: Mate Rimac said in 2024 that demand for very expensive electric cars had cooled, and Forbes reported in February 2026 that about a third of the planned 150 cars had been delivered. The 2026 ownership change also brought a management reshuffle, with long-time Bugatti president Christophe Piochon leaving on 31 October 2026 after 24 years in Molsheim.

Bugatti Rimac CEO and Leadership FAQ

Who is Mate Rimac?

A Croatian entrepreneur born in Livno, Bosnia and Herzegovina, who grew up partly in Germany, founded Rimac Automobili in 2009 and has run Bugatti Rimac since 2021.

Who is on Bugatti Rimac's leadership team?

From September 2026: Mate Rimac as CEO and President of Bugatti Automobiles, Marko Brkljačić, formerly COO of Rimac Technology, as chief operating officer, and Hendrik Malinowski, Bugatti's managing director since 2021, as chief commercial officer.

Why did Christophe Piochon leave Bugatti?

His departure was announced with the completion of Porsche's exit in September 2026, as part of a restructured leadership team. He had spent 24 years at Bugatti, from the Veyron to the Tourbillon, and formally leaves on 31 October 2026.

Who is the CEO of Bugatti Rimac?

Mate Rimac serves as CEO. His meteoric rise is legendary in the automotive industry; he went from blowing up a combustion engine in his garage and converting it to electric, to running Bugatti just a decade later.

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Content is for informational purposes only. Not financial advice. Data sourced from SEC filings, annual reports, and public records. See our full disclaimer and methodology.