A Look Into What Lies Ahead for Porsche’s New CEO
As of October 2015, Porsche officially has a new CEO in the form of Oliver Blume.
Blume steps into some really big shoes (he succeeds Matthias Müller), and will also be taking over the helm of the Zuffenhausen automotive giant at a crucial point in time, with a number of significant events unfolding within the company over the next couple of months.
It’s comforting, then, to see how much faith there is in Blume’s ability to take over at Porsche. He had served as a member of the Porsche executive board since 2013, effectively heading up production and logistics for the company. The chairman of the company’s supervisory board, Dr. Wolfgang Porsche, is especially pleased that they have found someone from within the company. He said, “We have found the best possible successor for Matthias Müller considering his [Oliver Blume’s] exceptionally high professional competence and pronounced teamwork skills”.
Perhaps the first major item on Blume’s agenda would be to manage the ongoing emissions scandal by the Volkswagen Group. With 11 million Volkswagen vehicles affected, and investigations trundling along slowly, Blume will have to continually assess the negative impact that this could have at Porsche. Already, it has been reported that profits at Porsche have taken a significant hit for the nine months up until September 30th.
Of course, the unfortunate emissions scandal won’t be Blume’s sole focus, and the news is rosier and more exciting within the Porsche stable. Firstly, he will be overseeing the investment of over a billion dollars in production sites over the next five years. This includes an upgrade of Porsche’s main plant in Zuffenhausen, which will see Cayman models joining the 911 and Boxster in coming off the assembly line at this plant.
In terms of products, the second generation 991 models were recently unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show, and bring with them a huge expectation but also a bit of trepidation; the range’s base models feature forced induction for the first time, and the motoring media will be eager to report on whether this has moved the appeal of these models forward or not. With the 911 remaining the brand’s most revered model range, Blume will want to see positive impressions being realized. The brand’s continued efforts to sync hybrid technology with its traditional sports car attributes will also be something to keep your eye on in the coming months.
Perhaps most of all, Blume will have to find a way to stamp his own legacy into the Porsche book. Müller, now CEO of Volkswagen, left Porsche with a number of accolades bestowed upon his tenure; not only did he manage to guide the marque through the aftermath of the recession, but he also saw Porsche deliver 189 850 new cars last year, nearly double the 95 000 sold when he first took over in 2010.
Will Blume be able to innovate and move the Porsche brand forward with a similar rate of success? Only time will tell, but with the right credentials and the full backing of his team, he is well positioned to do just that.