New Delhi: German auto major Volkswagen Group on Tuesday announced management restructuring in India, as part of its plan to “sustainably strengthen its position”, spearheaded by group firm Skoda. As part of the exercise, Skoda Auto India managing director (MD) Gurpratap Boparai will become MD of the Volkswagen India (VWIPL) with effect from January 1, 2019, the group said in a statement.
“In the future, all group brands will continue their operations under the leadership of Boparai with a common strategy in the Indian market,” it said. The restructuring of the Volkswagen Group companies in India is planned for next year, subject to regulatory approvals, it added. In July this year, the group had announced €1-billion investment in India to support its ‘India 2.0’ project, which will be driven by Skoda Auto.
The group had announced that all future models designed and produced in India would be based on Volkswagen Group’s MQB platform, and Skoda Auto will launch a volume segment model based on sub-compact MQB A0 platform by 2020.
The group will launch a new SUV based on VW’s flexible MQB platform by the second half of 2020. Skoda Auto would set up an engineering design and development centre at Pune besides enhancing capacities at the group’s two plants in Aurangabad and Pune cities of Maharashtra.
“The Volkswagen Group in India is restructuring its management in order to use the existing synergies more efficiently in the development of this important growth market,” the statement said. From January 1, 2019, the group said Pavel Richter, technical director of production in the ‘India 2.0’ project, will lead production responsibility for the group in India.
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