Volkswagen Chairman Bernd Pischetsrieder to Deliver Keynote Address at LA Auto Show
LOS ANGELES, Nov. 16 /PRNewswire/ — Dr. Bernd Pischetsrieder, chairman of the board of management of Volkswagen AG, will share his global perspective of the automobile industry during his keynote address at the Motor Press Guild breakfast on Jan. 5. The keynote presentation kicks off the two media days at the Los Angeles Auto Show and is open to all attendees. Pischetsrieder’s presence in Los Angeles signifies his personal commitment to revitalizing Volkswagen in the U.S. market, as well as within the largest consumer market in the country — California, which accounts for 11 percent of new car sales. Following Pischetsrieder’s opening speech, he will be present at Volkswagen’s news conference where the redesigned 2005 Jetta will receive its world debut. The Jetta is the company’s best-selling model in the U.S. “Bernd Pischetsrieder has become the global leader of Volkswagen at a difficult time in the company’s history,” said John Rettie, president of MPG. “But if there’s one thing he brings from his years at BMW, it’s a dedicated car guy’s mentality, and the belief that good product can overcome all obstacles. Gaining insight from such an influential executive should be insightful for everyone interested in the auto industry.” Pischetsrieder was appointed as Volkswagen’s chairman of the board of management in April 2002 to oversee the Volkswagen Brand Group, comprising Volkswagen, Skoda Auto, Bentley and Bugatti. In addition, he is chairman of the Supervisory Board of Audi AG and chairman of the Administrative Board of SEAT, S.A. Recognizing the global influence of Southern California as an automotive design center, the Los Angeles Auto Show adopted Design Los Angeles as its theme for the 2005 show. The design theme is envisioned to be the beginning of an ongoing program to establish automobile design as an integral part of the LA Auto Show. A central part of Design Los Angeles is the integration of an automobile designers’ conference within the show’s second media day, Jan. 6. This is the first conference of its kind developed at an auto show that provides designers with focused meetings, prominent speakers and discussion topics specifically geared toward the design disciplines. Some of these sessions will be open to media, thereby providing journalists with access and interaction with designers. For more information, visit LAautoshow.com. |