Volkswagen Group appoints Werner Tietz as head of R&D

Werner Tietz will assume the additional role of Head of Group Research and Development at the Volkswagen Group as of July 1, 2025, alongside his responsibilities as Member of the Executive Board for Research and Development at SEAT S.A.

He succeeds Michael Steiner, who will take on the additional position of Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche AG, in addition to his current role as Member of the Executive Board for Research and Development at Porsche AG. Both members of the Executive Board members will hold these positions at dual capacity.

“With his vision, technical expertise, and more than three decades of experience within the Volkswagen Group, Werner Tietz has played a key role in shaping the innovative strength of brands such as Audi, Porsche, Bentley and SEAT/CUPRA. His work stands for forward-looking development, from sustainable materials to electrification strategy. With this extensive expertise, he will continue to drive forward research and development at the Volkswagen Group,” says Oliver Blume, CEO of the Volkswagen Group.

Werner Tietz holds a doctorate in engineering from RWTH Aachen University and has more than 30 years of experience in the Volkswagen Group, where he has been working since 1994. Tietz has held several positions at Audi and was responsible for all Audi vehicle interiors.

In 2011, he transferred to Porsche, where he was responsible for the development of body and interior of all models. Furthermore, he participated in the development of the Taycan concept and worked on the introduction of innovative materials in several of the models.

Before joining SEAT, Tietz was member of the Bentley Executive Committee, and head of the development department, where he was in charge of creating the new development strategy and laying the foundations for the electrification of the brand.