Volvo Cars has appointed Klaus Zellmer as its next President and Chief Executive Officer, bringing an experienced automotive executive with more than three decades in the industry to the top job at the Swedish automaker. Zellmer will assume the role no later than October 1, 2027, with current CEO Håkan Samuelsson remaining in place to support a smooth leadership transition.
The appointment comes at an important point for Volvo Cars as the company continues to navigate a rapidly changing global automotive industry, including the shift toward electrification, evolving customer expectations and increasingly intense competition in the premium vehicle market.
Klaus Zellmer brings extensive experience across both premium and high-volume automotive brands. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Management and CEO of Škoda Auto, where he has overseen a period of strong commercial performance and continued expansion of the brand’s electric vehicle lineup.
Volvo Cars Chairman Eric Li said Zellmer’s combination of automotive expertise and international leadership experience makes him a strong match for the company’s next phase.
“Klaus Zellmer combines deep automotive expertise with broad international leadership experience and a strong record of guiding organisations through transformation and changing market conditions,” Li said.
According to Volvo Cars, Zellmer’s experience across both the premium segment and high-volume automotive market will be particularly relevant as the company works to strengthen its position as a premium car manufacturer.
Zellmer said he was attracted to Volvo Cars by the strength of the brand, particularly its longstanding reputation for safety, distinctive design and clearly defined identity.
“I am delighted to join Volvo Cars at such an important moment in the company’s development,” Zellmer said. “Few automotive brands have built such a strong and lasting reputation for safety, consistently applying this core value across the mobility sector.”
He also highlighted Volvo’s design philosophy and its ability to reinvent itself throughout its history.
The incoming CEO added that Volvo Cars has a solid foundation and an experienced workforce, while emphasizing the importance of continuing to evolve the company as the automotive industry enters another period of major transformation.
Klaus Zellmer’s Automotive Career Spans Porsche, Volkswagen and Škoda
Zellmer has spent more than 30 years in the automotive industry, building a career that includes senior positions at Porsche, Volkswagen Passenger Cars and Škoda Auto.
Before taking charge of Škoda Auto, Zellmer served on the Board of Management of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, where he was responsible for Marketing, Sales and After Sales.
His longest period within the Volkswagen Group was spent at Porsche. Zellmer worked for the sports-car manufacturer for more than 20 years and held several senior management positions, including CEO of Porsche Deutschland and CEO of Porsche North America.
His career began in the automotive sector after graduating with a degree in Business Administration. From 1994, he spent three years working at the Institute for Automotive Economics at Nürtingen-Geislingen University of Applied Sciences.
At Škoda, Zellmer has overseen one of Europe’s most successful volume automotive brands. Under his leadership, Škoda delivered record results in 2025, followed by continued growth and record electric vehicle deliveries during the first half of 2026.
That experience could prove particularly relevant at Volvo Cars, where the transition to electrified vehicles remains a central part of the company’s long-term strategy.
Håkan Samuelsson to Support Volvo Cars Leadership Transition
Håkan Samuelsson has led Volvo Cars during two separate periods. His first tenure ran from 2012 to 2022, before he returned as CEO in April 2025.
Samuelsson came back to the company at a challenging moment for the global automotive industry, with the task of developing Volvo Cars’ future strategic roadmap and providing stability during a period of significant change.
His latest tenure has also been focused on preparing the company for a long-term leadership transition.
Volvo Cars says Samuelsson will work with the Board of Directors to ensure a seamless handover to Zellmer. The exact transition process will therefore take place well before Zellmer officially assumes the CEO position, which must happen no later than October 1, 2027.
What Klaus Zellmer’s Appointment Means for Volvo Cars
Zellmer’s appointment gives Volvo Cars a CEO with experience spanning luxury and premium vehicles, high-volume passenger cars, global sales operations and large-scale corporate transformation.
His background at Porsche gives him direct experience with the premium end of the automotive market, while his years at Volkswagen and Škoda provide experience managing large international organizations and high-volume vehicle operations.
That combination is particularly significant for Volvo Cars as the company attempts to balance its premium positioning with the need to compete at scale in a rapidly evolving global market.
Zellmer will inherit a company with a strong heritage built around safety, Scandinavian design and premium mobility, but also one operating in an automotive market undergoing profound technological and competitive changes.
Electric vehicles, software-defined vehicles, advanced driver assistance systems, connected services and changing global market dynamics are reshaping the traditional automotive business. Volvo Cars’ next CEO will therefore face the challenge of preserving the brand’s identity while continuing to adapt its products and business strategy.
Source: Volvo