Skoda Auto a.s.
Leadership History
6 leaders · 2007 to present
Holger Peters (interim) is the CEO of Skoda Auto, in the role since 2026. The first chief executive was Reinhard Jung, from 2007.
| Name | Role | From | To | Years in role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Holger Peters | Interim Chief Executive Officer | 2026 | Present | < 1 |
| Klaus Zellmer | Chief Executive Officer & Chairman of the Board of Management | 2022 | 2026 | 4 |
| Thomas Schäfer | Chief Executive Officer | 2020 | 2022 | 2 |
| Bernhard Maier | Chief Executive Officer | 2015 | 2020 | 5 |
| Winfried Vahland | Chief Executive Officer | 2010 | 2015 | 5 |
| Reinhard Jung | Chief Executive Officer | 2007 | 2010 | 3 |
Skoda is the Volkswagen Group's value-focused volume brand. It uses the group's technology but sells it with more space and lower prices than the Volkswagen badge, aiming at families, fleets and price-conscious buyers. That formula has made it one of Europe's largest car brands, with over one million deliveries in 2025. The company is headquartered in Mladá Boleslav, Czech Republic.
Interim Chief Executive Officer
2026 – Present
0 years (current)
Peters heavily drives the massive financial efficiency strategies that allow Skoda to consistently generate higher profit margins than its much more expensive, premium parent brand (Volkswagen).
As Board Member for Finance and IT, he manages the incredibly strict cost controls that make Skoda the absolute highest-margin volume brand within the entire VW Group.
Chief Executive Officer & Chairman of the Board of Management
2022 – 2026
4 years
Former Porsche Cars North America CEO and Volkswagen brand sales board member who took over Skoda on 1 July 2022. Managed the wind-down of Russian business, introduced the Modern Solid design language, expanded into Vietnam and grew India, and launched the Elroq, Epiq and Peaq EVs. Departure announced 21 September 2026.
Skoda moved from tenth to second in European registrations and set record revenue (~$34 billion (€30.1 billion)) and operating profit (~$2.82 billion (€2.5 billion)) in 2025.
Chief Executive Officer
2020 – 2022
2 years
Schäfer executed the absolutely massive, highly successful launch of the Enyaq iV (Skoda's first bespoke EV), proving the budget brand could successfully transition to highly advanced electric platforms.
Serving as CEO from 2020 to 2022, he deeply solidified Skoda's position as a global powerhouse before being promoted to lead the core Volkswagen brand.
Chief Executive Officer
2015 – 2020
5 years
Maier orchestrated the absolutely massive, incredibly lucrative global 'SUV offensive' (launching the Kodiaq, Karoq, and Kamiq), completely transforming Skoda from a boring hatchback maker into a highly desirable family brand.
Serving as CEO from 2015 to 2020, he oversaw the absolute most successful period of sales growth in the company's entire 125-year history.
Chief Executive Officer
2010 – 2015
5 years
Vahland aggressively pushed the massive, highly strategic expansion of Skoda into the Chinese market, which quickly became the brand's absolute largest source of global sales.
Serving as CEO from 2010 to 2015, he laid the absolutely critical global foundation for Skoda's explosive international growth outside of Europe.
Chief Executive Officer
2007 – 2010
3 years
Jung managed the incredibly complex integration of Skoda's production lines with the massive VW Group architecture, successfully launching the Yeti and Superb models.
Serving as CEO from 2007 to 2010, he guided the company through the severe 2008 global financial crisis, maintaining profitability when rival automakers collapsed.
Skoda faces price pressure from Chinese EV makers in Europe, tightening EU CO2 rules, and the cost of running combustion, hybrid and electric programmes in parallel. Its business is heavily concentrated in Europe, and it relies on Volkswagen Group software and platforms. Leadership continuity is a 2026 issue, with CEO Klaus Zellmer leaving and the sales board seat also changing hands.
Following the announced departure of Chief Executive Officer Klaus Zellmer in September 2026, Chief Financial Officer Holger Peters was appointed to lead Škoda Auto on an interim basis.
Klaus Zellmer served as CEO from July 2022 to September 2026. A former Porsche North America CEO and Volkswagen sales board member, Zellmer steered Škoda through post-pandemic supply chain crunches, launched the Modern Solid design language, spearheaded the Elroq EV, and delivered record €30B+ revenue.
Thomas Schäfer served as CEO from August 2020 to June 2022. Schäfer successfully guided Škoda through the global microchip shortage, finalized the India 2.0 launch, and was subsequently promoted to CEO of the core Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand and head of Brand Group Core.
Bernhard Maier, a former sales chief at Porsche AG, led Škoda from November 2015 to July 2020. Maier masterminded Škoda's highly profitable global SUV offensive (Kodiaq, Karoq, Kamiq) and conceived the "Strategy 2025" roadmap that elevated annual sales above 1.2 million vehicles.
Dr. Winfried Vahland served as CEO from September 2010 to October 2015. He revolutionized Škoda's modern design language with the third-generation Octavia and Superb, and aggressively expanded sales in emerging markets, especially China.
Reinhard Jung served as Chairman of the Board of Management from October 2007 to August 2010, focusing on production modernization and expanding Škoda's international presence during the 2008 global economic recession.
Detlef Wittig served as Chairman from 2004 to 2007, overseeing the launch of the original Roomster and second-generation Fabia, and initiating Škoda's local assembly operations in China with SAIC.
Vratislav Kulhánek was the prominent Czech industrialist who chaired Škoda's Board of Management from 1997 to 2004. He oversaw the integration of the modern Fabia and Superb, finalized Volkswagen's 100% buyout, and later served as Chairman of the Supervisory Board.
Ludvík Kalma was the pioneering Czech engineer who served as Škoda's first post-privatization Managing Director from 1991 until his tragic death in an automobile accident in June 1996, having laid the operational groundwork for the modern Octavia.
Martina Biene, previously Managing Director of Volkswagen Group South Africa, took over as Board Member for Sales and Marketing at Škoda Auto in October 2026, overseeing global vehicle commercialization.
The Board of Management comprises seven executive directors overseeing key operational areas: CEO, Finance and IT, Production and Logistics, Technical Development, Sales and Marketing, People and Culture, and Procurement.
The upcoming permanent CEO must oversee the rollout of accessible BEVs (Elroq, Epiq, Peaq), navigate European Union 2035 CO2 fleet emission mandates, and scale emerging market operations across India, Vietnam, and the Middle East.
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