Former Daimler Trucks head Andreas Renschler tapped to run Volkswagen truck business

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Updated Feb 22, 2014
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Just weeks after it was announced former Daimler Trucks head Andreas Renschler would be leaving a 25-year tenure at Daimler AG, Renschler has been tapped to run rival Volkswagen’s commercial vehicles division, VW announced Feb. 21.

The global truck and auto maker says Renschler will join the Volkswagen board in February 2015, after his predecessor Leif Ostling retires.

Coinciding with the news of Resnchler’s hire, Volkswagen, who owns European truck brands Scania and MAN, also announced it would be buying the remaining shares of Scania in a roughly  $9.2 billion deal.

Renschler, until late 2012, oversaw the global Daimler Trucks division, of which Daimler Trucks North America (Freightliner, Wester, Star Detroit) is a subsidiary. He held the position for 10 years prior to leaving to head Daimler’s Mercedes Benz division.

His departure from Daimler was “by mutual consent,” Daimler said, and Renschler told The Wall Street Journal he left “for a different perspective.” 

Renschler was considered to be on the short list to be the next CEO of Daimler, and The Wall Street Journal reported in January his departure could have been due to the time he’d have to wait to potentially head the company.

Volkswagen Supervisory Board Chairman Ferdinand K. Plech says Renschler is the “ideal successor” for Ostling.

“Mr. Ostling has driven the Volkswagen Group’s commercial vehicles business further forward in a period of difficult economic conditions. His dedication and commitment to creating an integrated commercial vehicles group will continue in the months ahead. We are delighted to be welcoming such a gifted and experienced manager as Andreas Renschler to our company.”