Porsche 918 Spyder project leader appointed Bentley CEO

There’s a new boss who will be leading Bentley starting July 2024.

After Adrian Hallmark left his post as CEO & Chairman of Bentley to join Aston Martin earlier this March, the company announced that Frank-Steffen Walliser of Porsche would take the reins as Bentley’s new leader.

A native of Stuttgart, Walliser studied mechanical engineering with a focus on combustion engines and technology management. He joined Porsche in 1995 and has remained loyal to the company ever since.

In 2010, Walliser became instrumental in the development of the Porsche 918 Spyder super sports car as its project leader. Then in 2014, he made a name for himself as Head of Motorsport before taking over management of the 911 and 718 product lines at the beginning of 2019. Since 2022, he has been in charge of overall vehicle development (vehicle architecture & characteristics) at Porsche.

With his new post at Bentley starting in July, he is looking forward to working with the Crewe-based brand which has shown impressive performance over the last several years.

“I am approaching this job with great respect and looking forward to having a team in Crewe that has shown impressive performance over the last few years. The continuing transformation of the automotive industry will be a major task for Bentley as well, a task that I am happy to take on with the team. I am convinced Bentley will continue to set standards in the luxury segment in the future,” said Walliser.

On the other hand, Audi CEO Gernot Döllner shared that Bentley is getting an experienced engineer who will complement the Crewe-based brand’s move toward becoming the leading provider in the luxury segment.

“In Frank-Steffen Walliser, Bentley is getting an experienced engineer with distinct product and technology expertise and entrepreneurial experience who brought brand-defining models to the streets at Porsche, including the Porsche 918 Spyder. On Bentley’s ongoing path toward becoming the leading provider in the luxury segment, Frank-Steffen Walliser’s many years of experience and knowledge of the luxury segment will be invaluable,” shared Döllner.

With Walliser set to become Bentley’s new CEO, we’re curious if his time at Porsche will make for even sportier Bentleys in the near future.