European automotive importer Volkswagen Group Australia (VGA) has appointed Karsten Seifert as its new managing director.
Seifert will take over the reins of the company from chief financial officer Gabriele De Neidels who has been the interim managing director since the departure of Paul Sansom in December 2022.
Since 2020 Seifert has held the role of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles’ European and international sales executive director based in Hanover.
Seifert has worked for Volkswagen, Audi and Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles. He was the executive director of Commercial Vehicle’s European fleet business, head of fleet and business development for Europe as well as head of market planning sales for North and South America.
He also has previously been stationed in South Korea as well as working closely with South America and specific projects in India, which allowed him to gain intensive international market knowledge.
Seifert thanked De Neidels for her leadership of the Australian operation during the past year.
“VGA has emerged from the critical supply issues of the past few years in a strong position to transform into a leading provider of Battery Electric Vehicles, while continuing to offer a conventional passenger and commercial model portfolio,” Seifert says.
“Audi and Cupra have BEVs in market today with more models scheduled; Volkswagen will have an array of BEV models in Australia by 2025 and Skoda at least two. In five years, VGA will be selling more BEVs than conventional vehicles,” he says.
VGA employs some 300 staff to handle all aspects of its operations – supporting sales growth, dealership networks, customer experience, service facilities and media/public communications. Thousands are employed through the more than 180 brand dealerships nationwide.
