Klaus Zellmer has been appointed president and chief executive officer of Volvo Cars, taking over from Håkan Samuelsson no later than October 1, 2027. Volvo Cars confirmed the board appointment, while Reuters reported the leadership change and Bloomberg described the incoming CEO’s brief.
Zellmer arrives from Škoda Auto, where he has been chairman of the board of management and CEO. Samuelsson, who returned to Volvo Cars in April 2025 after an earlier tenure, will work with the board on the handover. The timetable gives the Swedish automaker a long runway to move from interim stability to a more permanent succession.
From Škoda’s momentum to Volvo’s next chapter
Volvo’s board pointed to Zellmer’s more than 30 years in the automotive industry, international leadership experience and work across premium and high-volume brands. The company said Škoda delivered record results in 2025 and further growth under his leadership. His mandate at Volvo is to build on the company’s foundations and strengthen its position as a leading premium car company.
The choice also follows Groupe SEB’s recent CEO succession, another example of a European industrial company using a planned handover to pair continuity with an outside operator. Volvo’s announcement does not set out a more detailed start date than the October 2027 deadline, so the transition period remains part of the story.
