BMW Engine Development Boss Headed to Audi: Report

Audi is getting a new CEO taken from BMW, according to a new report. BMW’s engine and purchasing boss Marcus Duesmann will be making the switch in April of next year.

German newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung broke the news, citing a person with knowledge of the appointment. That report says that Duesmann will make the switch from roundel to four rings on April 1st, 2020, taking over the Audi top spot.

Audi was looking for a CEO after current chief exec and VW board member Rupert Stadler stepped down temporarily. That followed his arrest in June as part of the ongoing diesel emissions scandal investigation.

This isn’t the first exec that Audi’s taken away from BMW. Current VW Group Chair Herbert Diess crossed from BMW in 2015. It was first reported in July of last year that VW was looking at Duesmann, but this new report suggests that the hiring process was delayed. His contract with BMW ends at the end of this month, multiple outlets report, and he’s likely to have a non-compete clause, which could explain the delay in taking the new position.

shared from fourtitude