The Board of Directors at Volvo Cars has officially appointed Klaus Zellmer as the company's next president and Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Zellmer is scheduled to assume duties no later than October 1, 2027, taking over leadership from Håkan Samuelsson, who will collaborate with the board during the interim period to guarantee a seamless leadership transition.

Zellmer brings over three decades of global automotive management experience to the Swedish automaker. He currently serves as Chairman of the Board of Management and CEO of Škoda, where he guided the brand to record financial results in 2025 and strong growth in electric vehicle (EV) deliveries throughout the first half of 2026.

I am delighted to join Volvo Cars at such an important moment in the company’s development. Few automotive brands have built such a strong and lasting reputation for safety, consistently applying this core value across the mobility sector. I admire Volvo Cars’ timeless, contemporary design language and the clarity of its brand identity. The company has a solid foundation and an experienced team, and I look forward to working with colleagues across Volvo Cars to build on these strengths. After almost 100 years, Volvo Cars’ ability to reinvent itself time and again is both a remarkable achievement and an ongoing challenge. I look forward to contributing to the company’s continued development and to shaping its next chapter together," said Zellmer.

Before taking the helm at Škoda, Zellmer served on the Board of Management of Volkswagen Passenger Cars, overseeing marketing, sales, and aftersales. His career also spans more than 20 years at Porsche, where he held major leadership roles including CEO of Porsche Deutschland and CEO of Porsche North America.

Outgoing Volvo Cars CEO Hakan Samuelsson

The upcoming management handoff follows a pivotal period under Håkan Samuelsson, who led Volvo Cars across two separate tenures. After directing the brand from 2012 to 2022, Samuelsson returned in April 2025 to pilot the company through complex industry challenges, rebuild its future strategic roadmap, and maintain operational stability while preparing for a long-term successor. 

"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," shared Eric Li, Chairman of Volvo Cars.

Born in 1967, Zellmer holds a degree in Business Administration and began his automotive career in 1994 at the Institute for Automotive Economics at Nürtingen-Geislingen University of Applied Sciences. His track record across both high-volume and luxury automotive operations will be instrumental as Volvo Cars navigates shifting market conditions and continues its global electrification strategy.