Marianne Heiß returns to Volkswagen Supervisory Board
Marianne Heiß is rejoining Volkswagen AG's Supervisory Board, with Chairman Hans Dieter Pötsch citing her finance, strategy, and ESG expertise.
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What Happened
Volkswagen Group announced on September 3, 2026, that Marianne Heiß is returning to the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen AG. Born in Austria, Heiß studied corporate accounting, auditing, and management. Chairman Hans Dieter Pötsch said the company is very pleased to have secured her again, citing her extensive expertise and in-depth knowledge of the company.
“We are very pleased that we were once again able to secure Marianne Heiß to serve on the Supervisory Board. She brings extensive expertise to the work of the Supervisory Board, not only in the fields of finance and accounting, corporate strategy and management, but also in environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues. Our many years of close and trusting collaboration with her, together with her extensive experience and in-depth knowledge of the company, were also key factors in her appointment to the Supervisory Board.”
Heiß played a defining role at BBDO, first as CFO Europe responsible for 18 countries, and later as the first woman to head BBDO Group Germany as Chief Executive Officer in Düsseldorf. She was also a member of BBDO's Global Management Board in New York.
For many years, Heiß has been committed to promoting women in leadership positions. She is the author of several books and hosts a business podcast. In addition, she is a member of several supervisory boards and advisory boards, including AUDI AG and Porsche SE.
Why this matters
Heiß brings extensive expertise in finance, accounting, corporate strategy, management, and ESG to the Supervisory Board, which oversees Volkswagen's executive decisions. She previously served as CFO Europe and CEO of BBDO Group Germany, and sits on boards at AUDI AG and Porsche SE. Her long commitment to women in leadership also adds a relevant perspective.
Terms in This Story
- Supervisory Board
- A corporate governance body that appoints and monitors a company's management board.
- ESG
- Environmental, social, and governance criteria used to evaluate a company's sustainability and ethical impact.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.