Gasgoo Munich- Audi AG announced on Oct 22 that Jeff Zhang will become President of Audi China starting Nov 1, 2026, marking the first time a Chinese national has led the automaker's operations in the country. Johannes Roscheck, the current president, will step down at that time and return to the Ingolstadt headquarters in Germany in early 2027.
Image Source: Audi China
According to Audi, Zhang brings over two decades of international automotive management experience. Before joining the company, he served as Vice President of Chery International and CEO of the Chery brand, having previously overseen Chery's European operations and served as Managing Director for Alfa Romeo and DS in China at Stellantis. Notably, Zhang held a senior management role at Audi China from 2018 to 2020, where he spearheaded the formation of the SAIC Audi sales team and participated in strategic projects for FAW-Audi.
In a concurrent adjustment, Rolf Michl, former Managing Director of Audi Sport GmbH, has been named COO of Audi China, joining Zhang in a streamlined dual-leadership board. Rouven Mohr, Audi AG's Board Member for Technical Development, will temporarily assume responsibility for Audi Sport to ensure a smooth transition for the high-performance business.
Audi CEO Gernot Döllner stated in the announcement that the move aims to "combine international expertise with a deep understanding of the Chinese market to respond more quickly to customer needs." Industry data shows Audi brand deliveries in China slipped to roughly 232,000 units in the first half of 2026, down from 288,000 during the same period last year.
