Thomas Schäfer elected new head of Skoda Auto

Thomas Schäfer, who heads the South African branch of the Volkswagen Group, has been elected the new head of Skoda Auto, the ctk news agency reported on Monday. He will replace Bernhard Maier who is leaving his post after less than five years.

Maier's time at the helm is described as “the golden years” in the brand's 125-year history during which the carmaker broke almost all sales records. Skoda, which is part of the Volkswagen group,  was hard-hit by the coronavirus crisis, posting a 33 percent drop in sales in the first half of this year.