Gasgoo.com (Shanghai November 2) - Rumors that Volkswagen China Vice President Yang Meihong would be forced to resign seem to have finally put to an end, with the company announcing that she will share her position with newcomer Peng Feili, China Business News reported today. Mrs. Yang's responsibilities will now be limited to internal affairs, while Ms. Peng will take care of public relations.
Ever since the DSG gearbox controversy which saw several Chinese VW owners discover transmission problems with their vehicles, Mrs. Yang's (pictured above) fate at the company has been uncertain. Then VW China CEO Karl-Thomas Neumann left the company soon after the incident, which saw the company lose at least 400 million euros ($491.52m). Despite government and consumer claims to the contrary, the manufacturer has constantly asserted that the DSG problem was not hazardous to driver or passenger safety and, therefore, not deserving of a full recall.
Earlier this year, Mrs. Yang issued a statement on her Weibo account denying any rumors that she would be forced to leave the company. Mrs. Yang has worked at VW China for seven years now and served under three different CEOs. She has been cited as one of the major figures responsible for VW's stellar growth in recent years. She has been especially praised for her attempts to take the demands of Chinese consumers directly to VW's German headquarters.
Prior to her joining VW, Ms. Peng (pictured below) has accumulated a significant amount of experience in the automotive industry, having previously worked at both Bosch and Michelin. According to VW China President and CEO Jochem Heizmann, Ms. Peng will play an important role in helping the company develop its public relations strategy.
Statistics show that VW controls a near 20 percent share in the Chinese automobile market. VW's sales in China over the first three quarters increased 18.3 percent, with total sales just short of two million units.
