- New management department “Future Product” led by Vanessa Repp strengthens future product strategy and customer centricity
- Tobias Gubitz takes over global responsibility for sales of the Opel and Vauxhall also effective September 1
Opel is establishing a new generation of top managers and extending the structure of the Executive Committee by a new management department. Vanessa Repp will be responsible for future product planning and development for the Opel and Vauxhall brands as Vice President Future Product effective September 1, 2024. On the same day, Tobias Gubitz will take over the position of Senior Vice President Global Sales of Opel and Vauxhall.
“We want to place even greater emphasis on customer-focused product development – this is reflected by the new structure of the Executive Committee,” said Opel CEO Florian Huettl. “With her technical expertise, outstanding leadership qualities and fresh perspective, Vanessa Repp is the ideal person for this task at a time when we are the first German automobile brand to offer every model fully electric without exception and to address new target groups.”
Vanessa Repp has extensive experience in product portfolio development. As Head of Future Portfolio & Cross Carline, Repp took over responsibility for the long-term product planning of the brand in 2022. Repp started her career at Opel in the Engineering department in 2015. She previously worked for the engineering service provider RLE Mobility GmbH & Co, where she was responsible for Opel projects, among other things, and studied industrial engineering with a specialisation in mechanical engineering at the Technical University of Darmstadt.
“I am looking forward to the possibility of actively shaping the future of the Opel and Vauxhall brands. Aware of the great responsibility of this task, I am sure that we will delight our current and new customers with our future models,” said Repp.
“The satisfaction of our customers is the basis for sustainable success,” emphasised Opel CEO Florian Huettl. “Tobias Gubitz will provide new impetus in all of our markets at the helm of our global sales organisation. The timing of the handover is well chosen – shortly before the market launch of the new Frontera and the new Grandland.”
Tobias Gubitz has been Senior Vice President Product & Pricing and a member of the Executive Committee of Opel Automobile GmbH since 2022. He joined Opel as Director International Brand Strategy & Marketing Communications in April 2014. A successor for his current position will be named at a later date. “Customer centricity and the proximity to our markets have always been my focus. In my new role, I am looking forward to continuing our model offensive together with our dealers and sustainably expanding our business,” said Gubitz.
Tobias Gubitz succeeds Christophe Mandon, whose new position within Stellantis will be announced shortly. “We would like to thank Christophe for his outstanding work, which has significantly contributed to the success of Opel and Vauxhall in 2023, and wish him all the best in his new position,” said Opel CEO Florian Huettl. Opel achieved strong growth of 15 per cent in 2023 with 670,000 sales worldwide. The main drivers of this success were battery electric vehicles (up 22%), light commercial vehicles (up 26%) and international sales (up 62%).
