Letter to employees

THANKS
TO THE EMPLOYEES

Dear colleagues, Dear Škodovians,

I am writing to you today to say goodbye to you personally. We have worked on the future of this company together. Thanks to our commitment, ŠKODA is now a global player in the automotive industry, very popular with our customers worldwide and a valued brand within the Volkswagen Group.

You have courageously accepted the challenges that the transformation process in the automotive industry undoubtedly poses and at the same time, almost naturally, achieved record results year after year. We were able to clearly increase the market shares and could sustainably improve the core brand values as well as the image. In doing so, we have made the past five years the most successful period in our company’s 125-year history.

Also now in time of coronavirus, I notice: team ŠKODA is on its feet. We were able to close the first half-year with a clearly positive result. Only an exceptional team that approaches its work with passion, ambition and the ŠKODA ‘clever together’ attitude can achieve this!

In addition to the best operational performance, we have made ŠKODA AUTO fit for the future with our Strategy 2025. And we have laid the groundwork for major strategic decisions with extensive investments: The largest model campaign in our company’s history is in full swing. We are bringing e-mobility to the Czech Republic and manufacturing batteries for plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles. From the second half of the year, the ENYAQ iV, our first e-car based on the Modular Electrification Toolkit (MEB), will roll off the production line in Mladá Boleslav. This will secure the future viability of our Czech sites and, therefore, jobs. Our DigiLabs in Prague, Beijing, Pune and Tel Aviv are making important contributions to us becoming the ‘Simply Clever Company for the best mobility solutions’. And the Volkswagen Group has given us additional, far-reaching responsibilities – for example, for the development of the new SUPERB and Passat generations as well as for the Group-wide business in Russia and India.

I am delighted to see that our company’s culture has also noticeably changed for the better. Problems are now addressed more openly, and we are boldly trying out new things and interacting with each other without prejudice.

The endowment fund, to which we allocated 30 million euros almost two years ago, is particularly close to my heart. We are promoting the regional development of Mladá Boleslav and our other sites in the Czech Republic to make them even more attractive places to live. As the largest company in the Czech Republic, ŠKODA AUTO is committed to fulfilling its social responsibility beyond the factory gates. I will continue to follow the development of the locations with great interest. 

Many former colleagues still speak of “green blood” in their veins long after their time in the Czech Republic. After four years and nine months at the top, I think I can say that this company does indeed have an exceptional character and a unique team spirit. In the end, it is the people who make the difference.  

I have enjoyed working with you all, and I am grateful for this time. ŠKODA AUTO is now entering the next transformation phase. I wish my successor and all of you every success in this.

All the best!

Bernhard Maier

Bernhard Maier

(29 December 1959)

1984

Starts his career at Nixdorf Computer AG.  

1988–2001

Works for BMW AG in various managing positions in Germany and abroad and also becomes project manager for international brand strategy. 

2001

Takes over as director of Porsche Deutschland GmbH.

2010

Appointed Board Member for Sales and Marketing at Porsche AG. Holding this office, he significantly modernises the business and sales organisation. Under his leadership, the international distribution network is significantly expanded and the volume of deliveries to customers worldwide triples.  

2015

In November, he is appointed Chairman of the Board of Directors of ŠKODA AUTO a.s. Strategy 2025+ consists of the key thematic areas of electromobility, digitisation and connectivity, new services related to mobility and the launch of the brand’s product offensive. Under his guidance, the ŠKODA brand launches the important KODIAQ, KAROQ, KAMIQ and SCALA cars and develops the ENYAQ iV, which will be the first model planned right from the outset as a purely electric one. Furthermore, the brand increases its deliveries of cars to customers to approximately 1.3 million cars per year, achieving record sales and operating profit.