Volvo Cars has announced significant leadership changes aimed at strengthening its product strategy and commercial performance as the company accelerates toward a fully electric future.
Key Appointments
- Erik Severinson has been appointed Chief Commercial Officer (CCO), effective immediately. He will continue to serve on the company’s Executive Management Team. Severinson, who has built his career at Volvo across finance, strategy, and product, most recently held the role of Chief Product & Strategy Officer.
- Michael Fleiss returns to Volvo Cars as Chief Strategy & Product Officer, succeeding Severinson. Fleiss, who spent nearly a decade at Volvo before moving to Aurobay (later acquired by Horse Powertrain, a Geely–Renault joint venture), brings extensive experience in product development and planning.
A Strengthened Commercial Structure
Under Severinson’s leadership, Volvo Cars will restructure its commercial organization with a renewed regional focus. The company will introduce Product Line Owners who will directly report to the CCO, ensuring closer alignment between product development and customer needs in different markets.
CEO Håkan Samuelsson praised the appointments: Erik and Michael bring deep knowledge of our company, customers, and operations. These changes will strengthen Volvo Cars at a pivotal moment for both the company and the automotive industry.
Industry Transformation and Customer-Centric Growth
Severinson emphasized the need for tighter integration between regional, product, and commercial teams, saying: In a rapidly changing and highly competitive market, we need to be more connected than ever to our customers’ expectations across every region.
Fleiss, reflecting on his return, added: This is a transformative period for the industry. With electrification and technology reshaping mobility, Volvo Cars is well-positioned to deliver sustainable innovations to customers worldwide.
Financial and Strategic Momentum
The restructuring comes on the back of a record-breaking 2024, when Volvo Cars achieved:
- SEK 27 billion in core operating profit
- SEK 400.2 billion in revenue
- 763,389 global vehicle sales, the highest in its history
With these leadership moves, Volvo Cars seeks to reinforce its ambition to be a fully electric carmaker by 2030 and achieve net-zero emissions by 2040.
