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STUTTGART, Germany and ATLANTA — The Porsche AG board of management named a new chairman on Tuesday to succeed Michael Macht. Moving over from Volkswagen AG into this role is Matthias Mueller.

Executives said Mueller was previously in charge of product planning, product management and model series for the VW Group and Volkswagen brand. They contend Mueller successfully promoted the development of product lines during the last three years within the VW Group.

"Matthias Mueller gives us the exceptional competence of an outstanding product expert benefiting the interaction of independent brands within an integrated automotive group leading the market worldwide," stated Wolfgang Porsche, chairman of the supervisory board of Porsche AG, about Mueller, who hails from Chemnitz in eastern Germany.

"Contributing this knowledge, he guarantees that Porsche, as a world brand, will not only maintain, but further expand its top position," Porsche added.

Another top brand executive cheered Tuesday's announcement. Uwe Hueck is chairman of Porsche AG's group works council.

"From numerous talks with Matthias Mueller, I know that he will maintain Porsche's unique and independent position also in future," Hueck stressed.

"Precisely this makes him the right man for us representatives of the workforce, which is why we give him our full support. We already see him today as a genuine ‘Porsche man,' enabling us to really push down the throttle at all our plants," Hueck continued.

"I am confident that the workforce will work well and successfully with Matthias Mueller to the benefit of the Porsche company as a whole," he added.

Meanwhile, the automaker revealed Macht has been appointed as a board member of production of VW Group. The company now has Macht overseeing control and coordination of all plants within the Volkswagen Group.

"Michael Macht took over the leadership of Porsche AG in a period crucial to the company," Porsche emphasized.

"Through his skill and many years of experience within the Porsche Group, he has succeeded in re-establishing the company within a short time, placing our operations on a strong and solid foundation," Porsche continued.

"Concluding the fundamental agreement between Porsche Automobile Holding SE and Volkswagen AG, Michael Macht has played a significant role in setting out the ongoing schedule for our fully integrated automotive group," he added.

Hueck also expressed his admiration of Macht

"I wish Michael Macht all the very best and lots of success in his new position on Volkswagen's Group Board," Hueck stated.

"I know that in future the people at Porsche will remain close to him and that he will continue to work all-out to use the full capacity of our plants in Zuffenhausen and Leipzig to the benefit of the company," Hueck went on to say.