It’s official. Audi AG has announced that Stephan Winkelmann will be president and CEO of Automobili Lamborghini from December 1. Already head of Bugatti, he will retain his present post and assume a double role.
“Stephan Winkelmann has decisively shaped the history of Lamborghini. No one else stands more clearly for the Lamborghini brand, and he is exactly the right person to lead this unique brand into a successful future,” said Markus Duesmann, chairman of the board of management of Audi AG.
Of course, Winkelmann is no stranger to Sant’Agata Bolognese, having been the game changing CEO of the supercar brand from 2005 to 2016. He’s taking over his old seat from Stefano Domenicali, who has been Lambo CEO since March 2016. The former Ferrari F1 team principal will be heading back to Formula 1, as CEO.
Under Domenicali’s leadership, Lambo has has been able to continue its growth and double its global sales volume since 2016. Boosted by the Urus SUV, the Italian company delivered a record 8,205 units last year, a jump of 43%.
But as Duesmann put it, there’s really no one better to be at the helm of Lamborghini than the new-old boss. Born in Berlin in 1964, Winkelmann grew up in Rome. After graduating from school, he studied political science there and in Munich. Before Winkelmann’s first stint at Lamborghini, he worked in various positions at Fiat, including as CEO in Austria, Switzerland and Germany markets.
In March 2016, Winkelmann moved from Lambo to quattro GmbH (now Audi Sport), taking the role of MD for two years. Since January 2018, he has been president of Bugatti, a position that he will continue to occupy. There aren’t many car bosses that can be considered iconic, but the always sharp-suited Winkelmann is surely one of them.
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Congrats Stephan on your new role!
Man looks like he is living in 1857. No wonder Lambo won’t get into electric mobility. Not as long as he’s around.