Porsche is changing the sales leadership in its most important single market: After almost 25 years at Porsche, jens Puttfarcken, the former head of China, is moving to the Group sister company Audi. From 1 June, he will be in charge of European sales here. His successor in the Middle Kingdom is to be Michael Kirsch, currently head of Japan at the sports car brand.
“We are very pleased to be able to win Jens Puttfarcken, an internationally experienced sales specialist, for Audi,” said Hildegard Wortmann, Head of Sales at Audi. “I am convinced that with his expertise and his international mindset, he will successfully shape the future of Europe, the sales region that is central to the success of Audi AG.” Before moving to Shanghai, Puttfarcken had already been in charge of Porsche sales on the German home market for three years.
In China, Puttfarcken has successfully expanded sales in the brand’s most important single market since 2015, Porsche said. “Jens Puttfarcken has positioned Porsche excellently in China and successfully expanded both the customer base and the dealer network,” said Porsche Board Member for Sales Detlev von Platen.
Asia connoisseur as successor
With Michael Kirsch, the ideal successor has now been found, von Platen continued. He has been the brand’s head of Japan since 2019 and previously held the same position in South Korea for three years. The 56-year-old, who moved from BMW to Porsche in 2012, already knows the Chinese market very well: From 2012 to 2016, he was Chief Operating Officer of the Porsche sales subsidiary there for four years.
“Michael Kirsch has successfully developed Porsche in Asia from various positions, making him the ideal candidate for China, one of our most important markets worldwide,” said von Platen. “Michael Kirsch has achieved great success, especially in the areas of customer satisfaction and service quality. I am sure that he will provide further valuable impetus in China and further increase the appeal of our brand there.”
Also read:
January 2022: Car sales in China down slightly
Minus 14 percent: Chip shortage causes VW sales in China to collapse
Worldwide new registrations in 2021: EU continues to slump, China and USA up
Head of the week – Porsche’s new China boss: Jens Puttfarcken in portrait
From the data center: