Not up to the task - Assessment of the new VW CEO

Not up to the task - An analysis of the new VW CEO Matthias Müller

by Leopold Hüffer Matthias Müller, until recently the CEO of Porsche and now successor to Martin Winterkorn at the helm of Volkswagen, gave an interview to the American public broadcaster NPR News on the sidelines of the Detroit Auto Show. In the spotlight NPR is a journalistically solid broadcaster, and when I want to listen to radio from the United States, NPR is my first choice - it is available for streaming online. Mr. Müller and his PR team could hardly wish for a fairer platform in the USA to address the emission problem. But what did the CEO of VW make of this opportunity - just before he was due to meet Gina McCarthy, the head of the US Environmental Protection Agency? A nearly unimaginable fiasco: https://www.npr.org/player/v2/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=462682378&m=462716714 My analysis Ad 1) Mr. Müller is obviously not fluent in negotiating in English Ad 2) Reveals that he (and thus VW?) still does not fully understand American legislation, portraying himself and the company as, to put it mildly, 'simple-minded' Ad 3) Gives the impression that the emissions violations are, contrary to American legislation, "small stuff" for his press and legal team, and fails to set the right priorities Ad 4) Denies the question of ethical and personal responsibility. But how did he then reach such a significant professional position? And how does he intend to regain the trust of politicians and consumers in the important US automotive market after this "statement"? My assessment VW needs a competent No. 1. Ideally, a seasoned outsider who stands for reliable values. And who has the stature to lead one of the world's most important car manufacturers.   For more information about the business psychologist Leopold Hüffer, visit his profile: https://www.excellente-unternehmer.de//redner/dr-phil-dipl-psych-leopold-hueffer-hueffer-ag.html