OREANDA-NEWS. October 01, 2015. Hans-Gerd Bode (54) has been appointed Head of Group Communications, Investor Relations and External Relations at Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft with immediate effect. He succeeds Stephan Gruhsem (53), who is leaving the company by amicable agreement.

The CEO of Volkswagen AG, Matthias Muller, states: “Stephan Gr?hsem has played a decisive and strategically shrewd role in shaping communications in the Group over the last nine years. We would like to acknowledge this with gratitude and respect. With Hans-Gerd Bode, another recognized expert is taking over at the helm of communications in our company. He has excellent knowledge of the Group and the automotive industry.”

Hans-Gerd Bode was latterly Head of Public Relations & Press at Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG in Stuttgart. He studied German language and geography, and his previous functions included press officer at Mitsubishi and at Opel. He joined Mercedes-Benz AG in 1996. Bode moved to Volkswagen AG in Wolfsburg in 1999 and assumed responsibility for the Group’s brand and product communications. He was appointed Head of Product and Technical Communications at Porsche AG in 2008, becoming Head of Public Relations & Press in October 2010.

Stephan Gr?hsem joined the Volkswagen Group in 1999 and held various functions including Head of Group Coordination Motoring Press. Gr?hsem took over as Head of Communications at Audi in 2002. He returned to Wolfsburg as Head of Group Communications, Investor Relations and External Relations in 2007.