Report: VW brand chief Bernhard to resign Thursday

Wolfgang Bernhard

Reuters / November 15, 2006 - 2:00 pm
FRANKFURT -- Volkswagen brand chief Wolfgang Bernhard is expected to tender his resignation on Thursday, Nov. 16, when the six-member steering committee of the carmaker's supervisory board meets, a German newspaper reported.

Without citing sources, the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung wrote that the VW brand chief is reacting to a boardroom coup that threw out CEO Bernd Pischetsrieder and replaced him with a rival executive, Audi boss Martin Winterkorn.

A reshuffle of senior level management planned by Winterkorn could drastically impinge on Bernhard's authority in the group.

Volkswagen declined to comment on the report.