Volkswagen Group has announced the appointment of Andreas Mindt as its new Head of Group Design, effective March 1, 2026. Mindt, who currently serves as Head of Design for the Volkswagen brand, will assume additional responsibility for overseeing design strategy across the Group’s global portfolio.
He succeeds Michael Mauer, who is stepping down from the role on amicable terms as part of a planned generational transition. Mauer had earlier handed over his responsibilities at Porsche to his successor after a long and influential tenure shaping the brand’s design direction.
Commenting on the leadership change, Oliver Blume, CEO of Volkswagen Group, expressed appreciation for Mauer’s contributions, noting that his work helped define a cohesive design philosophy across the Group’s multiple brands. Blume highlighted that Mauer played a key role in strengthening distinct brand and product identities while ensuring strong visual recognition across markets.
Volkswagen Group has prioritised sharpening its design strategy over the past three years, focusing on creating unmistakable products aligned with individual brand DNA and positioning. According to Blume, this approach has enabled the Group’s iconic models to authentically reflect their heritage while meeting evolving customer expectations worldwide.
With Mindt taking charge, the Group aims to further strengthen design consistency and innovation across its brands as it advances its global product and mobility strategy.
Now it is time to hand over to the next generation. “I am looking forward to working more closely with Andy Mindt,” said Blume. “With his track record at the Volkswagen brand and his expertise, he has made a significant impact in a short time and played a key role in ensuring that our cars are clearly recognizable as genuine Volkswagen models again.”
Andreas Mindt began his career in the Volkswagen Group in 1996 after graduating with a degree from the Pforzheim University School of Design. By 2014 he had already held several positions at the Volkswagen brand, working on the design of the first generation of the Tiguan and on the exterior design of the Golf 7, among other things. From 2014 until 2021, he spearheaded the realignment of Audi’s exterior design from the Audi A1 through to the Audi e-tron GT and from the Audi Q3 through to the Audi Q8. From 2021, as Director of Bentley Design, he was tasked with defining Bentley’s new design language, unveiled last summer with the Bentley Batur. He has held the post of Head of Design at the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand since February 2023.
Michael Mauer took over in 2004 as the fourth Head of Design in Porsche’s long history, preceded by Ferdinand Alexander Porsche, Anatol Lapine and Harm Lagaay. Mauer studied automotive design at the Pforzheim University of Applied Sciences and joined Porsche following stints at Mercedes, Smart and Saab. At the beginning of his tenure at Porsche AG, he was responsible for the revision of the Cayenne, the new Panamera and the 918 Spyder super sports car. Michael Mauer also transferred the unmistakable Porsche design into the electric age. Since January 2023, he has acted as Head of Group Design for the Volkswagen Group while retaining his position at Porsche.
