After two years at the helm of Volkswagen South Africa, David Powels has been appointed President of Volkswagen do Brasil and his departure leaves Volkswagen with big shoes to fill.
Port Elizabeth-born Powels joined VWSA in 1989 as a Chartered Accountant in the finance division, but soon became export manager for the marque. Returning to the finance division 1993, Powels headed the controlling division, followed by a foreign assignment at both Volkswagen AG and Audi AG.
He returned to his country of birth in 1998 as finance director, staying in the position for four years before leaving and becoming vice president and corporate strategy at Volkswagen do Brasil in 2002. In 2007 he returned to South Africa as managing director of Volkswagen South Africa.
During Powels’ term as MD, VWSA invested over R7 billion in plant, product and infrastructure. Ten years into the new millennium and Powels had the VWSA factory modernised and platforms rationalised with the arrival of the Polo and Polo Vivo in 2010.
Powells vision resulted in VWSA being recognised as a top employer for four years in a row, which included recognition for innovative concepts, such as the fortnightly One Team meetings for all production employees and the PeoplePavilion – a first in the VW Group – a sport, recreation, rehabilitation and a community center built on the banks of the Swartkops river near to the Uitenhage plant.
Knowing the void Powels’ absence will leave, VWSA appointed Thomas Schäfer as its new managing director. Schäfer was head of group production for VWSA since 2012 and comes with extensive knowledge after a stint at Mercedes-Benz between 1994 and 2012.
Both Powels’ and Schäfer’s appointments will be effective from February 2015.
