Volkswagen Group Ireland has a new Managing Director and CEO. Following the departure of Carla Wentzel, who has moved on to become the CEO of Volkswagen Poland (and in the process becoming the first woman to be CEO of an automotive group in that country), Pierre Boutin has arrived in Ireland to be the Group's new head here.
Unparalleled success
Boutin was previously the CEO and Managing Director of the Volkswagen Group in Canada, and before that, he held senior positions at Volkswagen Russia and Volkswagen France. According to Volkswagen, in his role in Canada, Boutin: "presided over a period of unparalleled success, delivering significant improvements across the business and securing the largest electric vehicle supply chain investment in Canadian history."
Indeed, under Boutin's leadership, Volkswagen achieved a record market share in Canada in 2023, and he was part of the team that secured a massive investment which will see Volkswagen's first North American battery 'Gigafactory' built in Canada, in the town of St Thomas, Ontario. Based on a site the size of 850 football pitches, the St. Thomas Gigafactory will have a potential production volume of up to 90 gigawatt hours - enough to power around 1 million EVs a year. Volkswagen and the Canadian government have pledged to invest more than €13 billion in the deal. Construction is due to start this year, with production commencing in 2027.
Transformative shift
Boutin commented on his appointment: "I am delighted to join Volkswagen Group Ireland at such an exciting period in automotive history. Volkswagen Group is not only the leading car company in Ireland, it is at the forefront of a transformative shift in the automotive landscape as we accelerate towards electric mobility. I want to thank Carla for her stewardship of Volkswagen Group Ireland over the past five years. Her inspirational leadership steered the business through one of the most challenging periods the industry has witnessed and established Volkswagen Group Ireland as a pioneer in e-mobility, digitalisation, and sustainability."
On her departure, Wentzel said: "Having spent five wonderful years here, Ireland will always have a special place in my heart. I am certain Pierre will have a similarly positive experience. Working alongside our talented team and first-class dealer network, Volkswagen Group Ireland is well placed to spearhead a new chapter for the motor industry while giving customers the best possible experience."
27 per cent market share
Across its brands - Volkswagen, Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles, Audi, Cupra, SEAT, and Skoda - Volkswagen Group Ireland has 100 retailers and accounts for more than 27 per cent of Ireland's total new vehicle registrations in 2023. Figures from the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI) reveal total registrations were up more than 12 per cent at Volkswagen, 67 per cent at Seat and 150 per cent at Cupra. Audi retained its position as the number one premium brand in Ireland, with registrations up 21 per cent. Meanwhile, Skoda had a record year, exceeding 10,000 registrations for the first time in the firm's Irish history, as sales increased by 33 per cent.
On top of that, in the shape of the ID.4, Volkswagen also currently has the best-selling electric car in the country, ahead of the global sales colossus that is the Tesla Model Y. Indeed, the ID.4 has recently overtaken the Nissan Leaf as the best-selling electric car in Ireland, ever. This year will see the introduction of other key all-electric models such as the Volkswagen ID.7 saloon, the Cupra Tavascan, and the Audi Q6 e-tron and A6 e-tron.