Volvo names Škoda's Klaus Zellmer as next CEO, replacing Håkan Samuelsson

Volvo Cars has named Klaus Zellmer as its next president and chief executive, ending months of speculation over who would replace Håkan Samuelsson. Zellmer will take over no later than October 1, 2027, more than a year from the announcement, giving both companies time to prepare the handover.

Zellmer, 59, currently runs Škoda Auto, which finished 2025 as one of Europe's bestselling car brands and has posted record electric vehicle deliveries so far in 2026. He is not new to running a global carmaker, but he is new to Volvo itself.

Before Škoda, Zellmer led Porsche Cars North America and Porsche Deutschland, and he sat on the board of Volkswagen Passenger Cars. He holds a degree in business administration and began his career in sales and marketing roles across the industry.

Eric Li, chairman of Volvo Cars, called Zellmer's experience across both high-end and high-volume brands an "excellent fit" for the company. The board says it is confident he can guide Volvo through shifting markets while building on the road map developed under Samuelsson.

Zellmer struck a similar note in Volvo's own announcement. "After almost 100 years, Volvo Cars' ability to reinvent itself time and again is both a remarkable achievement and an ongoing challenge," he said, adding that he looks forward to "shaping its next chapter together."

Why Samuelsson is stepping aside twice

Samuelsson has now held the Volvo chief executive job twice. He first served a decade in the role, from 2012 to 2022, before returning in 2025 for what was billed from the outset as a two-year stint.

That second term was designed to buy Volvo time. The company needed a road map to navigate weaker demand for electric vehicles and tariff pressures on its export markets, and Samuelsson's return was meant to steady the business while a permanent successor was found.

Volvo has not announced a firm start date for Zellmer within that window, and it says Samuelsson and the board will work together to make the transition seamless ahead of the October 2027 deadline. No details of an interim arrangement have been given.

What Volvo makes and who it answers to

Volvo, founded in 1927 in Sweden, is known for producing premium cars alongside trucks and construction equipment, built on a long-standing emphasis on safety, environmental care and engineering. It is that combination of premium cars and heavy vehicles that shaped the board's search for a successor.

We have tracked Volvo's leadership churn as part of our wider coverage of C-suite succession across the luxury and premium goods sector, alongside moves such as Hugo Boss naming Michael Murray as its supervisory board chairman. Volvo's case stands out for the length of Samuelsson's two separate terms.

We have also followed a run of comparable appointments this year, including JD Sports naming John Mersho to run its North American business and Richemont naming Anton Rupert as co-deputy chairman. Zellmer's move fits that same pattern of experienced operators being pulled between rival manufacturers.

Zellmer's record at Škoda gives Volvo a chief executive who has already managed the transition to electric vehicles at scale, a priority the board flagged directly in explaining its choice. His time at Porsche also gives him experience of a more premium-positioned brand within the same corporate family.

The appointment leaves Škoda needing its own successor, though neither company has said when that process will begin or conclude. Volvo's statement gave no further detail on compensation, reporting lines or whether Zellmer will join the board before formally taking the chief executive title.

Until then, Samuelsson remains in post as Volvo works through the handover the board says it intends to make seamless.

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Images: Volvo Cars