Frank-Steffen Walliser will leave his position at Porsche to assume the role of chairman and CEO of Bentley starting July 1.
Walliser, a seasoned engineer, took over management of Porsche’s 911 and 718 product lines in 2019 and was later appointed head of overall vehicle development in 2022. He succeeds Adrian Hallmark, who left Bentley earlier this year to become CEO of Aston Martin.
With a background in mechanical engineering focused on combustion engines and technology management, Walliser began his career at Porsche in 1995. In 2010, he became the overall project leader for the development of the Porsche 918 hypercar, and in 2014, he took on the role of head of motorsport for the brand.
Walliser expressed his eagerness to tackle new challenges at Bentley, highlighting the brand’s commitment to setting standards in luxury automotive innovation.
“I am approaching this job with great respect and looking forward to having a team in Crewe that has shown impressive performance over the last few years,” Walliser stated. “The continuing transformation of the automotive industry will be a major task for Bentley as well, a task that I am happy to take on with this team.”
Bentley and Porsche both operate under the Volkswagen Group, and their collaborations include sharing the MSB platform, which underpins models like Porsche’s Panamera and Bentley’s Continental and Flying Spur.
Gernot Döllner, a member of the Volkswagen Group Board of Management and head of the Brand Group Progressive, which includes Bentley, Audi, and Lamborghini, praised Walliser’s appointment. “On Bentley’s ongoing path toward becoming the leading provider in the luxury segment, Frank-Steffen Walliser’s many years of experience and knowledge of the luxury segment will be invaluable,” Döllner said.
Bentley is currently focused on electrification, rolling out plug-in hybrids as part of its strategy to become an electric-only brand by 2033. The company plans to unveil its first electric vehicle (EV) towards the end of 2026. Previously, Bentley aimed to go EV-only by 2030, but technical challenges, not waning EV demand, have delayed this target, according to outgoing CEO Adrian Hallmark.
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