Škoda Auto Names Martina Biene as New Sales and Marketing Chief

Škoda Auto Board of Management will have a new Sales and Marketing leader from October 1, 2026, with Martina Biene appointed to the role. Biene, currently Chair and Managing Director of Volkswagen Group Africa, will succeed Martin Jahn, who has led Sales and Marketing since March 2021. Jahn will move to Wolfsburg to join the Board of Management of the Volkswagen brand, taking responsibility for Sales, Marketing and After Sales. Subject to regulatory approvals, he is also expected to join Škoda Auto’s Supervisory Board, creating a leadership transition as the automaker continues expanding its international business and strengthening its position across global markets.

Leadership Change at Škoda Auto

Škoda Auto CEO Klaus Zellmer highlighted Jahn’s contribution to the brand’s recent development and international performance. Zellmer said: "Under [Jahn's] leadership, we managed to become the second best-selling brand in Europe, successfully introduced our battery electric models, built an even more customer-centric sales organization with our Škoda typical human touch, introduced a new corporate identity that reflects our ambitions, and increased our brand value... Martina Biene's... valuable international experience will help us further strengthen Škoda's growing international footprint and continue our successful development in global markets." The comments connect the leadership change with the company’s sales momentum and broader international ambitions.

Škoda Auto Sales Growth During Jahn’s Tenure

Jahn’s tenure coincided with a sustained increase in deliveries. In the first half of 2025, Škoda Auto delivered 509,400 vehicles worldwide, compared with 448,600 units in the first half of 2024, representing a 13.6% increase. The result also moved the brand into Europe’s third-best-selling position for the first time in its 130-year history. The performance provided a strong foundation for the company’s next phase, as it continued expanding its model range and developing its presence in international markets while increasing its competitiveness within Europe.

2025 and 2026 Delivery Performance

The momentum continued through the full year. Škoda Auto delivered 1,043,900 vehicles worldwide in 2025, up 12.7% from 926,600 units in 2024. The result represented the company’s strongest annual sales performance in six years. By the first quarter of 2026, the brand had moved into Europe’s second-best-selling position, and it retained that ranking through the first half of the year. During H1 2026, Škoda Auto delivered 555,700 vehicles worldwide, underscoring the scale of the commercial progress achieved during Jahn’s period as Board Member for Sales and Marketing.

Martina Biene’s Volkswagen Experience

Biene brings extensive experience across Volkswagen’s international sales, product and brand operations. She joined Volkswagen in 2001 and subsequently served as Area Sales Manager for Belgium and Luxembourg, Head of Product Planning for Germany, Head of Global Product Marketing, and Head of the Volkswagen Brand in South Africa. In August 2020, she became Head of the Volkswagen Small and Compact Product Line. Since September 2022, she has served as Chair and Managing Director of Volkswagen Group Africa, giving her direct leadership experience across a broad international market environment.

Martin Jahn’s Volkswagen Group Career

Jahn also has a long history within the Volkswagen Group and brings experience spanning corporate leadership, government and international automotive operations. He has been with the Volkswagen Group for 20 years. Before joining Škoda Auto, he began his career at CzechInvest in 1994 and became its CEO in 2000, later serving as the Czech Republic’s Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs from 2004 to 2006. He joined Škoda Auto in 2006 as Board Member for Human Resources before taking management roles at Volkswagen Group Rus, the Volkswagen Group’s international fleet business, and FAW-VW in China.

Next Roles for Biene and Jahn

Jahn returned to Škoda Auto as Board Member for Sales and Marketing in March 2021, taking charge during a period that subsequently produced significant gains in global deliveries and European market standing. His next assignment in Wolfsburg will expand his responsibilities within the Volkswagen Group brand, where he will oversee Sales, Marketing and After Sales. Meanwhile, Biene’s appointment places an executive with long-standing product, marketing and international management experience into Škoda Auto’s sales leadership, supporting the company’s stated objective of continuing its development across global markets.

Frequently Asked Questions

When will Martina Biene become Škoda Auto’s Board Member for Sales and Marketing?
Martina Biene will take over as Škoda Auto’s Board Member for Sales and Marketing on October 1, 2026, succeeding Martin Jahn after more than five years in the position. Biene currently serves as Chair and Managing Director of Volkswagen Group Africa and has held several international sales, product planning and marketing roles within Volkswagen since joining the company in 2001. Her appointment is intended to support Škoda Auto’s continued international expansion and development across global markets, while Jahn moves to Wolfsburg for a new leadership role within the Volkswagen brand.