The Opel brand is making a change in its top management with two new appointments. Vanessa Repp will be responsible for future product planning and development for the Opel and Vauxhall brands as Vice President Future Product from September 1, 2024. On the same day, Tobias Gubitz will take over as Senior Vice President Global Sales Opel and Vauxhall.
Customer-driven product development
“We want to place even greater emphasis on customer-focused product development – this is reflected in the new structure of the Executive Board,” said Opel CEO Florian Huettl. “With her technical expertise, outstanding leadership qualities and fresh perspective, Vanessa Repp is the ideal person for this task at a time when we are the first German automobile brand to offer every fully electric model without exception and to address new target groups.”
Vanessa Repp has experience in developing product portfolios. As Head of Future Portfolio & Cross Carline, Repp has assumed responsibility for the brand’s long-term product planning in 2022. Repp began her career at Opel in the engineering department in 2015. She previously worked for the engineering service provider RLE Mobility GmbH & Co, where she was responsible for Opel projects, among others, and studied industrial engineering with a specialization in mechanical engineering at the Technical University of Darmstadt.
Global sales organization
“Customer satisfaction is the basis for sustainable success,” emphasized Opel CEO Florian Huettl. “Tobias Gubitz will provide new momentum in all our markets as head of our global sales organization. The timing of the handover is right – shortly before the market launch of the new Frontera and the new Grandland.”
Tobias Gubitz has been Senior Vice President Product and Pricing and a member of the Executive Board of Opel Automobile GmbH since 2022. He joined Opel as Director of International Brand Strategy and Marketing Communications in April 2014. A successor for his current position will be appointed at a later date. “Customer focus and proximity to our markets have always been my goal. In my new role, I look forward to continuing our offensive model with our dealers and sustainably growing our business,” said Gubitz.
Tobias Gubitz succeeds Christophe Mandon
Tobias Gubitz succeeds Christophe Mandon, whose new position within Stellantis will be announced shortly. “We would like to thank Christophe for his outstanding work, which has significantly contributed to the success of Opel and Vauxhall in 2023, and we wish him all the best in his new role,” said Opel CEO Florian Huettl. Opel achieved strong growth of 15 percent in 2023 with 670,000 sales worldwide. The main drivers of this success were battery electric vehicles (up 22 percent), light commercial vehicles (up 26 percent) and international sales (up 62 percent).