Volvo Cars has appointed Klaus Zellmer as its next president and chief executive, the Swedish carmaker announced on 20 September 2026. Zellmer joins from Skoda Auto, where he served as chief executive, and will take the helm at Volvo Cars in the coming months, succeeding Hakan Samuelsson.
Zellmer arrives with long experience across the automotive industry, having led Skoda Auto and held senior commercial and regional leadership roles within the wider Volkswagen Group, including responsibility for sales and for the North American market. That background spans brand management, commercial strategy and the operational running of a large volume carmaker, the mix of skills Volvo Cars will look to as it steers through a demanding period for the industry.
The appointment comes as carmakers navigate a difficult transition. Demand patterns for electric vehicles have shifted, competition from new entrants has intensified, and manufacturers are balancing heavy investment in electrification and software against pressure on margins and pricing. Volvo Cars, which had set out an ambitious electrification path, has had to adjust its plans in line with market realities, and the incoming chief executive will be central to setting the pace of that strategy.
Samuelsson returned to lead Volvo Cars and has guided it through recent turbulence, and the handover to Zellmer is framed as a planned succession to take the company into its next phase. Bringing in a leader with deep group experience and a strong commercial record is intended to combine continuity of strategy with fresh operational leadership.
Volvo Cars, majority owned by Geely Holding, is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm. It sells premium cars worldwide and has built its brand around safety, design and a clear commitment to electrification, even as it recalibrates the timing of that shift. The new chief executive will inherit decisions on model strategy, cost, and how quickly to push the electric transition against continued demand for hybrids.
Zellmer will assume the role of president and chief executive of Volvo Cars in the coming months, on completion of his handover, taking over from Samuelsson.
The choice of a leader steeped in the Volkswagen Group system also reflects the reality of Volvo Cars supply, technology and platform relationships within the wider automotive world. A chief executive who understands large scale vehicle programmes, shared engineering and global sales networks is well placed to manage the cost and complexity of building modern cars, where software, batteries and electronics now account for a growing share of value. How Volvo Cars balances its premium positioning against price competition, and how fast it advances its electric line-up, will be among the first questions on the new chief executive desk.
