Managed handover: Current CEO Håkan Samuelsson will work with the board on the transition.
- Leadership change confirmed: Klaus Zellmer, most recently Chairman and Chief Executive of Škoda Auto, appointed next President and Chief Executive of Volvo Cars, effective by 1 October 2027 at the latest.
- Recent performance evidence: Škoda Auto posted record results in 2025 and record electric vehicle deliveries in the first half of 2026 under Zellmer's leadership.
- Cross-segment career: More than 30 years of industry experience, including two decades at Porsche and a Volkswagen Passenger Cars board role leading marketing, sales, and aftersales.
Volvo Cars has named Klaus Zellmer as its next President and Chief Executive, with the appointment set to take effect by 1 October 2027 at the latest. Zellmer arrives from Škoda Auto, where he served as Chairman and Chief Executive, and brings more than 30 years of industry experience.
A volume-brand track record
Zellmer's most recent results at Škoda Auto give the appointment its weight. Under his leadership, the company posted record results in 2025 and achieved record electric vehicle deliveries in the first half of 2026. That combination — financial performance plus EV execution at scale — is precisely the profile Volvo Cars' board appears to have prioritised.
His earlier career spans both ends of the market. Zellmer spent two decades at Porsche before joining Volkswagen Passenger Cars, where he led marketing, sales, and aftersales as a board member. Few executives can claim senior leadership experience at both a premium marque and a high-volume brand.
The board's rationale
Eric Li, Chairman of Volvo Cars, framed the appointment around that dual-segment experience:
"Klaus Zellmer combines deep automotive expertise with broad international leadership experience and a strong record of guiding organisations through transformation and changing market conditions. His experience from both the high-end premium segment and high-volume brands, is an excellent fit for Volvo Cars. The Board is confident that, under Klaus Zellmer's leadership, Volvo Cars will build on its strong foundations and enter its next chapter with a clear ambition to strengthen its position as a leading premium car company."
An orderly transition
Current CEO Håkan Samuelsson will work with the board on the handover, giving the company a defined transition runway ahead of the 1 October 2027 deadline. For manufacturing and operations professionals watching Volvo Cars, the signal is clear: the board is betting that proven volume-brand execution — record results, record EV deliveries — can be translated into durable premium-segment performance. Whether that playbook transfers intact remains the open question, but the track record Zellmer brings is difficult to argue with.
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