Volvo Cars has appointed Klaus Zellmer as President and Chief Executive Officer. The appointment was announced by the company’s Board of Directors on September 20, 2026. Zellmer will assume the position no later than October 1, 2027, with current President and CEO Håkan Samuelsson and the Board overseeing the transition.
Zellmer brings more than 30 years of experience in the automotive industry, with a background spanning commercial operations, sales, marketing, technology and organisational leadership. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Management and CEO of Škoda Auto, a position from which he will move to Volvo Cars.
Under Zellmer’s leadership, Škoda delivered record results in 2025, followed by further growth and record deliveries of electric vehicles in the first half of 2026, according to Volvo Cars.
Before leading Škoda Auto, Zellmer was a member of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, where he was responsible for Marketing, Sales and After Sales. Earlier, he spent more than 20 years with Porsche, holding several senior positions, including CEO of Porsche Deutschland and CEO of Porsche North America.
Zellmer began his professional career in 1994 at the Institute for Automotive Economics at Nürtingen-Geislingen University of Applied Sciences, where he worked for three years after completing his degree in Business Administration.
At Volvo Cars, Zellmer will take over from Håkan Samuelsson, who returned as President and CEO in April 2025 to help develop the company’s future strategic roadmap and prepare for a long-term successor. Samuelsson previously served as Volvo Cars CEO from 2012 to 2022.
Zellmer said he is joining Volvo Cars at an important point in the company’s development and highlighted its longstanding reputation for safety, design and brand identity. He will work with the company’s leadership and teams as Volvo Cars moves into its next phase.
