China remains key to VW’s global ambitions

Stephan Wollenstein, who first came to the country in 2004 and will step down as China CEO at the end of this month, said he’s witnessed a “fundamental paradigm shift” in the auto industry, which has forced global carmakers including VW to focus on China, now the world’s biggest auto market.

SHANGHAI: Volkswagen AG (VW) must maintain its focus on China to continue being one of the world’s leading automakers – no matter who its chief executive is – according to the person who’s led the company’s operations in the nation since 2019.

Stephan Wollenstein, who first came to the country in 2004 and will step down as China CEO at the end of this month, said he’s witnessed a “fundamental paradigm shift” in the auto industry, which has forced global carmakers including VW to focus on China, now the world’s biggest auto market.