Volvo CEO is changing. Klaus Zellmer takes the job by October 1, 2027. Håkan Samuelsson — who has run Volvo twice now — steps aside when Zellmer arrives.
Zellmer is 59 and currently runs Škoda Auto. Before Škoda, Zellmer ran Porsche Cars North America and Porsche Deutschland. Earlier in his career he was on the board of Volkswagen Passenger Cars. His whole background is commercial — sales, marketing, brand strategy. Not an engineer. A businessman who knows how to sell cars.
Why Volvo Needed a New CEO
Samuelsson’s return to the Volvo CEO role in April 2025 was always meant to be temporary. Samuelsson came back with one job — steady the ship. EV demand had dropped, tariffs were creating headaches and Volvo needed a plan. He ran Volvo the first time from 2012 to 2022. The board trusted him to do the same again on a two-year contract. His second stint bought the company time.
With that plan now in place, Volvo needed someone to execute it. The board found Zellmer.
Who Is the New Volvo CEO
Zellmer is not a car engineer. Porsche North America, Porsche’s home market in Germany, then Škoda — one of Europe’s best-selling car brands. At Škoda he pushed EV sales to record numbers in 2025 and kept that going into 2026.
Eric Li, Volvo Cars chairman, said the new Volvo CEO brings experience across both premium and high-volume brands — and that’s exactly what Volvo needs right now. Volvo sits in the premium segment but competes against brands with far larger production volumes and deeper pockets — BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Audi among them. Someone who understands how to run a mass-market brand efficiently while managing a premium nameplate is exactly what that challenge requires.
What the New Volvo CEO Inherits
Volvo in 2027 looks different from Volvo in 2024. The hard push toward full electrification has been dialled back. Hybrids are back in the conversation in a serious way. Samuelsson’s job was to build the roadmap that reflects that reality — the new Volvo CEO’s job is to drive it. The product roadmap Samuelsson developed during his second tenure is intended to give Volvo flexibility across powertrains rather than betting entirely on one direction.
Tariffs remain a challenge. Volvo builds cars in Sweden, Belgium, South Carolina and China. Trade policy between the US, EU and China directly affects where Volvo can profitably build which models for which markets. Navigating that is a business and political problem as much as an automotive one.
Volvo has been around for nearly 100 years and has changed direction more than once to survive. Zellmer knows that. In his statement he said the company’s track record of reinventing itself is what makes Volvo interesting — and what makes the Volvo CEO job genuinely difficult. He said he wants to help shape whatever comes next.
Timeline
Volvo hasn’t confirmed the new Volvo CEO’s exact start date. Zellmer still has to hand over Škoda to whoever takes that job next. The target is October 1, 2027. There will be a handover period at Škoda before he can take over fully at Volvo.
FAQ
Who is the new Volvo CEO?
Klaus Zellmer — currently running Škoda Auto. He moves to Volvo by October 1, 2027 as president and CEO.
Why is Håkan Samuelsson leaving Volvo?
Samuelsson came back in April 2025 for two years to sort out the strategy. He did that. Zellmer is the one who runs with it.
What is Klaus Zellmer’s background?
Porsche North America, Porsche Germany, Škoda. Record EV sales at Škoda in both 2025 and 2026. Sales and marketing his whole career.
When does the new Volvo CEO start?
No date locked in yet. October 1, 2027 is the deadline Volvo gave publicly.
Has Håkan Samuelsson run Volvo before?
Yes, twice. He was CEO from 2012 to 2022. Then Volvo called him back in April 2025 when EV sales dropped and the tariff situation got complicated. Two years to fix the strategy — that was the deal.
