Dr. Hubert Waltl to be new Board of Management Member for Production at AUDI AG

Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG, thanked Dreves for his many years of good work during Audi’s international growth: “In 2014, we will for the first time produce more automobiles outside Germany than at our main plants in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm. Frank Dreves has played a crucial part in our internationalization, with which we are systematically utilizing market potential.” His achievements include the introduction of the Audi Production System (APS), which guarantees maximum quality and flexibility in manufacturing also with a rapidly growing model range.

At the same time, Stadler welcomed his successor: “Like Frank Dreves, Hubert Waltl is also an Audi man through and through. He started his career in 1976 in toolmaking in Ingolstadt, and therefore knows the Audi plants as well as the production sites of the Volkswagen brand.” At Audi, Waltl made a valuable contribution to the development of the successful toolmaking department. During his time as member of the board of management for production at Volkswagen Cars, Waltl was responsible for the introduction of the modular production system between 2009 and 2014. He thus made a major contribution to the brand’s growth. For example, he was responsible for the integration of the Osnabrück site into Volkswagen’s production network and developed additional international production plants.

Chairman of the General Works Council of AUDI AG Peter Mosch says: “Dr. Waltl is well known to everyone at Audi. He was the head of the toolmaking department before he left for Volkswagen. Now we are looking forward to his return. We are confident that he has the right feel for this company and its employees. Dr. Dreves deserves our thanks. He was always an excellent partner during our discussions and was committed to the interests of the employees.”

Hubert Waltl started an apprenticeship as a toolmaker after leaving school. His first job was in the toolmaking department of AUDI AG. Following an additional course of vocational training as a mechanical engineering technician, he held various management positions in Audi’s toolmaking department from 1994 onwards, as well as in the area of production planning at the plants in Ingolstadt and Neckarsulm. Parallel to his work, Waltl studied manufacturing engineering at Dresden University of Applied Sciences.

As of 2002, he assumed responsibility for all toolmaking activities at Audi; as of 2007, Waltl was additionally responsible for Group toolmaking as well as car body planning and toolmaking for the Volkswagen Cars brand. On October 1, 2009, he was appointed as a member of the board of management of the Volkswagen Cars brand with responsibility for production and logistics. On January 8, 2013, he received a doctorate in engineering (Dr. Ing.) from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the Technical University of Chemnitz.

Audi’s departing Board of Management Member for Production, Frank Dreves, started his career as a machinery mechanic. This was followed by studies of mechanical engineering at the University of Paderborn. In 2012, Dreves gained a doctorate from the Faculty of Mechanical Engineering of the Technical University of Chemnitz. His career at Audi started in the foundry in 1982, followed by rapid progress to team leader in the department for production planning. In 1987, he moved to Spain as head of production planning at SEAT. After his return in 1992, he had various tasks in production planning in Ingolstadt. Between 1997 and 2000, he developed the plant in Curitiba, Brazil. Dreves was subsequently Head of Assembly in Ingolstadt, and then took over responsibility for overall planning in 2001. From October 2004 until January 2007, he was in charge of Audi’s biggest plant in Ingolstadt. Frank Dreves was appointed Member of the Board of Management for Production of AUDI AG on February 1, 2007.