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Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A.

Luxury Automotive ManufacturingFounded 1963
Reviewed by Swet Parvadiya
Company data updated: October 2026

Leadership History

Lamborghini: CEO History

4 leaders · 1999 to present

Who is the CEO of Lamborghini?

Stephan Winkelmann is the CEO of Lamborghini, in the role since 2020. The first chief executive was Franz-Josef Paefgen, from 1999.

Current CEO
Stephan Winkelmann (since 2020)
First CEO
Franz-Josef Paefgen (1999)
Leaders documented
4
Founded
1963
NameRoleFromToYears in role
Stephan WinkelmannChairman and Chief Executive Officer2020Present6
Stefano DomenicaliChief Executive Officer201620204
Giuseppe GrecoChief Executive Officer200120054
Franz-Josef PaefgenChief Executive Officer199920012
Who was CEO of Lamborghini before Stephan Winkelmann?
Stefano Domenicali was CEO of Lamborghini from 2016 to 2020, before Stephan Winkelmann took over in 2020.

Company Overview

Lamborghini is an Italian maker of supercars and super SUVs based in Sant'Agata Bolognese, near Bologna, where all its cars are built. It is wholly owned by Audi AG and sits within the Volkswagen Group alongside Porsche, Bentley, and Ducati, which Lamborghini itself owns. Its main rival is Ferrari: Ferrari builds its brand on Formula 1 heritage, while Lamborghini sells extreme design and all-wheel-drive performance. The company is headquartered in Sant'Agata Bolognese, Italy.

Stephan Winkelmann

Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

2020 – Present

6 years (current)

Key Decisions & Impact

Winkelmann, born in Berlin and raised in Rome, worked at Mercedes-Benz and then Fiat Auto (1994-2004) before first becoming Lamborghini's CEO in 2005, a tenure through 2016 during which sales more than doubled and revenue more than tripled. He then led Audi Sport (from 2016) and Bugatti (from 2018) before returning to Lamborghini as Chairman and CEO on December 1, 2020, succeeding Stefano Domenicali.

Legacy

Winkelmann has led Lamborghini through the Direzione Cor Tauri hybrid transition, record deliveries of 10,747 cars in 2025, and the 2026 decision to turn the Lanzador into a plug-in hybrid. During his first tenure (2005-2016) sales more than doubled.

Source →

Stefano Domenicali

Chief Executive Officer

2016 – 2020

4 years

Key Decisions & Impact

Domenicali executed the most important, controversial decision in Lamborghini history: launching the Urus SUV, which completely alienated purists but absolutely doubled the company's global sales volume.

Legacy

Serving as CEO from 2016 to 2020 (before leaving for Formula 1), the former Ferrari boss completely transformed Lamborghini from a low-volume niche supercar maker into a highly profitable luxury powerhouse.

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Giuseppe Greco

Chief Executive Officer

2001 – 2005

4 years

Key Decisions & Impact

Greco aggressively managed the catastrophic financial crisis of the early 1990s under Chrysler's ownership, desperately attempting to stabilize the company by pushing the development of the iconic Diablo.

Legacy

Serving as CEO during the highly unstable Chrysler era, he struggled to integrate the massive American corporate culture with the bespoke, chaotic Italian engineering teams.

Source →

Franz-Josef Paefgen

Chief Executive Officer

1999 – 2001

2 years

Key Decisions & Impact

Paefgen managed the critical transition when the massive Volkswagen Group (via Audi) acquired Lamborghini, aggressively injecting strict German engineering discipline into the notoriously unreliable Italian supercars.

Legacy

As a senior Audi executive serving as Chairman, he oversaw the launch of the Murciélago, proving that Lamborghini could retain its wild aesthetic while finally offering reliable daily drivability.

Source →

Challenges & Strategic Context

The company has to electrify without dulling the sound, drama, and emotional identity that customers buy. It also faces luxury demand cycles, U.S. tariff exposure, currency volatility, emissions rules, Ferrari and Porsche competition, and the risk of overexpanding volume.

Lamborghini CEO and Leadership FAQ

Who is the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Automobili Lamborghini?

Stephan Winkelmann serves as Chairman and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini S.p.A. He previously served as Lamborghini CEO from 2005 to 2016 (later serving as President of Bugatti), returning to lead Lamborghini in December 2020 to architect its record growth and Direzione Cor Tauri strategy.

What was Stephan Winkelmann's impact during his first tenure at Lamborghini (2005 to 2016)?

During his first tenure, Winkelmann revitalized Lamborghini by launching the blockbuster Gallardo and Huracán V10 models, introducing the flagship Aventador V12, pioneering limited-edition Few-Off hypercars (Reventón, Sesto Elemento, Veneno), and approving the Urus concept.

Who was Stefano Domenicali and what did he achieve as CEO of Lamborghini?

Stefano Domenicali (former Scuderia Ferrari F1 Team Principal and current CEO of Formula 1) served as CEO of Lamborghini from 2016 to 2020, successfully doubling factory capacity at Sant'Agata, launching the Urus Super SUV, and taking annual sales past 8,000 units.

Who was Ferruccio Lamborghini and what was his founding leadership?

Ferruccio Lamborghini (1916 to 1993) founded Automobili Ferruccio Lamborghini in 1963. A effective industrialist and tractor manufacturer, Ferruccio led the company for a decade, creating well-known masterpieces including the 350 GT, Miura, Espada, and Countach.

Who is Rouven Mohr and what is his role as Chief Technical Officer?

Dr. Rouven Mohr serves as Chief Technical Officer (CTO) of Lamborghini. Mohr oversees all vehicle engineering and R&D, architecting the 10,000-RPM V8 hybrid powertrain in the Temerario, the Revuelto V12 HPEV, and active aero control systems.

Who serves as Head of Design at Lamborghini Centro Stile?

Mitja Borkert serves as Head of Design at Lamborghini Centro Stile since 2016. Borkert is the celebrated designer behind the aggressive, futuristic styling of the Terzo Millennio, Sián FKP 37, Countach LPI 800-4, Revuelto, and Temerario.

What leadership philosophy guides Stephan Winkelmann at Lamborghini?

Stephan Winkelmann operates on the philosophy of 'Always delivering more than expected', preserving the pure emotion and acoustic thrill of Lamborghini while fearlessly embracing future electrification and setting record financial benchmarks.

What historic corporate records did Lamborghini achieve under Stephan Winkelmann?

Under Winkelmann, Lamborghini surpassed 10,000 annual deliveries, reached record revenue of ~$3.62 billion (EUR 3.20 billion) in 2025, and posted an operating margin of 27% in 2024.

Who is the CEO of Lamborghini?

Stephan Winkelmann serves as CEO. He is an absolute legend within the Volkswagen Group, having previously run Lamborghini from 2005 to 2016, and returning in 2020. He is widely credited with completely transforming Lamborghini from a niche Italian brand into a massively profitable, highly polished global luxury empire. (Former CEO Stefano Domenicali left to become CEO of Formula One).

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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.