Herbert Diess

Herbert Diess

Transformational Automotive Leader & Visionary Architect of the Electric Mobility Transition

Core Intelligence Domain: Leadership
Location: Munich, Germany | Languages: English, German
Representation: Represented globally by PSpeakers Global Intelligence

Herbert Diess is a globally recognised titan of the automotive and technology sectors, best known for masterminding one of the most radical corporate transformations in modern industrial history during his tenure as CEO of the Volkswagen Group. A pioneering architect of the electric vehicle (EV) revolution and sustainable manufacturing, Diess successfully navigated the world’s largest automaker through a profound paradigm shift, pivoting aggressively away from combustion engines towards a future defined by electrification, decarbonisation, and software-driven mobility.

Currently serving as Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Infineon Technologies and Chairman of The Mobility House, Diess continues to shape the global agenda on critical semiconductors, renewable energy integration, and intelligent transport ecosystems. His strategic foresight provides invaluable blueprints for legacy industries facing severe digital disruption, complex geopolitical supply chain challenges, and existential climate mandates. By bridging the gap between heavy industrial manufacturing and agile software development, Diess exemplifies the modern C-suite leader required to drive hyper-scale technological transformations.

Professional Milestones & Strategic Achievements

• Spearheaded Volkswagen’s EV Revolution: As CEO of Volkswagen Group (2018–2022), directed a massive, industry-defining €73 billion investment strategy into e-mobility, hybridisation, and digital technologies.
• Semiconductor & Tech Governance: Currently serves as Chairman of the Supervisory Board at Infineon Technologies, ensuring European competitiveness in the critical automotive and industrial semiconductor markets.
• Advancing Grid Integration: Acts as Chairman of The Mobility House, pioneering Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) technology, smart charging solutions, and the integration of EVs into the global renewable energy ecosystem.
• Pioneering Electric Mobility at BMW: During his tenure as a Member of the Board of Management at BMW Group, he was instrumental in the strategic development of the revolutionary BMW i3 and i8, laying early groundwork for the industry’s green transition.
• Crisis Management & Resilience: Recognised for aggressively steering Volkswagen through the immediate aftermath of the “Dieselgate” crisis, as well as maintaining operational resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent global supply chain bottlenecks.

Core Speaking Themes & Proprietary Foresight

• The Future of Global Mobility: Navigating the rapid transition from fossil fuels to zero-emission, software-defined, and fully autonomous vehicles.
• Corporate Transformation at Scale: Actionable frameworks for pivoting legacy mega-corporations towards agile, future-proof operating models, overcoming institutional inertia.
• Supply Chain Resilience & Geopolitics: Securing critical technological dependencies, particularly in semiconductors and battery manufacturing, during an era of geopolitical fragmentation.
• Sustainable Leadership & The Green Economy: Aligning corporate profitability with aggressive decarbonisation targets, ESG mandates, and the circular economy.
• The Convergence of Energy and Mobility: Exploring how electric vehicles will serve as decentralised energy storage units to stabilise future renewable power grids.

Key Takeaways

• Access to proprietary executive frameworks on executing large-scale industrial turnarounds and embedding software-centric cultures within legacy manufacturing giants.
• Deep strategic understanding of the intersection between semiconductor advancement, renewable energy infrastructure, and next-generation automotive engineering.
• Actionable foresight for C-suite leaders on managing complex stakeholder environments, trade unions, and global supply chains amidst intense regulatory and market pressures.
• Expert guidance on capitalising on the green transition, turning existential environmental challenges into profound commercial opportunities.