New plant director at Audi in Neckarsulm: Dr. h.c. Thomas Faustmann to succeed to Fred Schulze

Dr. h.c. Thomas Faustmann, born in Peine in 1962, started his career as a production planner at Volkswagen in Salzgitter in 1991 after graduating in mechanical engineering. In 1995, he was made responsible for the planning of engine production at the plant in Chemnitz, before moving to the Salzgitter plant, most recently as head of the product center for the R5/V/W engine. In 2002, Faustmann was appointed production director at AUDI HUNGARIA MOTOR Kft. and was made managing director there in 2004. He was also made responsible for planning the production of engines and transmissions in Ingolstadt. In 2007, Faustmann was awarded the Order of Merit of the Hungarian Republic in recognition of his contribution to the development of the Hungarian automotive industry. And in 2014, Széchenyi István University in Győr awarded him an honorary doctorate for his achievements in the field of scientific cooperation between the university and Audi Hungaria.

Fred Schulze, born in Gardelegen, Sachsen‑Anhalt in 1967, graduated in production technology and welding engineering. He started his career at AUDI AG in Neckarsulm in 1993. In 1994, he was made head of quality assurance for A8 body construction; from 1998 until 2004, he was responsible for A2 body construction, before moving to Volkswagen. There, Schulze was at first a project manager for the Microbus, and was appointed head of body construction for the VW Bus and the Porsche Panamera in 2006. In 2010, he was made head of production at the Volkswagen plant in Emden. Since 2012, Fred Schulze has been the director of the Audi plant in Neckarsulm.