VW HR board member Gunnar Kilian surprisingly recalled-new era begins!

VW HR board member Gunnar Kilian surprisingly recalled-new era begins!

Wolfsburg, Deutschland - The Volkswagen Group faces an unexpected change: On July 4, 2025, Gunnar Kilian, the work director, surprisingly gave up his position. This was reported for the first time by News38 . Kilian, who has been working in the group since 2000 and has been on the board since 2018, has significantly participated in the digital transformation and coping with the Corona crisis. With his departure, an eventful term ends that was characterized by challenges such as the diesel crisis and the current conversion to electromobility.

Daniela Cavallo, the chairwoman of the works council, commented on the separation in an internal message. She described the farewell as hard, but emphasized the positive record of Kilian's seven years. "It was no longer possible to plan a future together," she said, after increasing differences in the past few months. A turning point was the break of the VW tap family last year, which Cavallo described as a historical breach of taboo.

Change of management and new challenges

Thomas Schäfer, the brand manager, now takes on Kilian's tasks temporarily. Arne Meiswinkel, the HR board, is also included in the extended group management and temporarily bears the responsibility for personnel issues. The search for a new work director is already in full swing. Traditionally, the employee side, represented by the works council and the IG Metall, is integrated into the proposal process. A leader is sought that can fill up with the role of the work director in times of change.

What are the background for this separation? Tagesschau reports of basic differences between Kilian and the supervisory board in Wolfsburg, especially with central topics of the group. This concluded different ideas about the control of investment companies. All of these key points led Kilian to lack the backing in order to consider a contract extension.

Effects of the double transformation

The departure of Gunnar Kilian falls at a time when the Volkswagen Group and the entire automotive industry are in a profound change. The gradual switch to electromobility and digital transformation are challenges that are becoming increasingly important. According to an investigation on wsi , the dynamics of the transformation in the industry is enormous and requires a differentiated consideration of technologies. The investigation shows that the width of digital innovation and ecological adaptation along central features such as gender, age and qualifications is diversified.

In this highly dynamic phase of the automotive industry, it is crucial that Volkswagen develops a clear vision in order to successfully counter the challenges of double transformation. A new beginning of personnel seems to be essential to set the course for the future.

Overall, the separation from Gunnar Kilian is an important step for Volkswagen, which not only affected the internal structures, but also has far -reaching consequences for the workforce and the future of the company.