Detlev von Platen becomes new President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America
Stuttgart/Atlanta/Paris. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, Germany, names two new executive managers in its two most important markets. With the departure of Peter Schwarzenbauer (48) who has been named to the Management Board of Audi AG, in Ingolstadt, Germany, responsible for worldwide sales and marketing, the Executive Board of the Stuttgart-based sports car manufacturer has named Detlev von Platen (44) as the new President and CEO of Porsche Cars North America, based in Atlanta, Georgia. The new Managing Director of Porsche France in Boulogne Billancourt will be Felix Bräutigam (40).
Detlev
von Platen will take
over the job in the USA from Peter Schwarzenbauer on April 1, 2008.
Since 1997, the political and business economist born in France has
been responsible for the Porsche brand and the development of the
Porsche France sales subsidiary, established in 1999. Sales on the
French market more than tripled under the management of von Platen,
reaching 2,916 vehicles in 2007. The dealer network is now made up of
32 Porsche Centers, including subsidiaries in the future markets of
Morocco and Tunisia. Before taking on his current position von Platen
held various management positions in sales and marketing for BMW AG
between 1988 and 1996.In Atlanta von Platen will be responsible for a successful team of approximately 250 employees. Since taking on this job in March 2003.
Peter
Schwarzenbauer has further
improved the high profile of Porsche in the USA through the consistent
marketing of the brand as a premium supplier. He has ultimately been
able to achieve record sales four times in a row on the largest Porsche
market. In spite of a very difficult market environment plagued by
cutthroat price wars between other manufacturers, the 212 dealer
operations in North America were able to sell 36,680 vehicles
throughout 2007. This represents approximately 38 percent of total global Porsche sales. Thanks to a pre-owned car program established in 2004, the North American Porsche dealers now sell 8,000 pre-owned Porsche vehicles with a works warranty.
Schwarzenbauer has been with Porsche AG since 1994. After occupying management positions in the German market, he took on the job of Managing Director of Porsche Ibérica in Madrid in 1997. Schwarzenbauer will begin his job at the Management Board of Audi AG responsible for worldwide sales and marketing on April 1, 2008.
Felix Bräutigam
is to
become the new Managing Director of Porsche France. Since 2004, the
business graduate and MBA has been responsible for the supervision of
all Porsche sales subsidiaries and regional offices at the sales center
in Ludwigsburg. Bräutigam, who came to Porsche in 1996 after
studying in Germany and the USA, was previously employed as General
Manager Marketing Communication. Porsche expects its next big growth spurt in 2009, linked with the market launch of the four-door Gran Turismo Panamera. With Detlev von Platen and Felix Bräutigam, Porsche now has two experienced Porsche Managers at the helm of the sales subsidiaries in the USA and France ready to take on this challenge.
