VW appoints Rieck as Skoda China president

Volkswagen AG said yesterday that it has appointed Alfred Rieck as president of its growing Skoda Auto A.S. unit in China (Skoda China) and executive vice president of Volkswagen Group China, effective today, Dow Jones reported.

Rieck has been the managing director in charge of the Skoda brand in Germany since 2006, the German auto maker said in a statement. Before that, he was a senior leader in charge of sales and marketing for Volkswagen's luxury cars.

Rieck's position as president of Skoda China is newly created, which also marks the official establishment of VW's "Skoda China" division.

Production in China of Skoda's flagship sedan, the Superb (Hao Rui) began June 11, Skoda said in an earlier statement. Skoda sales in mainland China and Hong Kong rose 57 percent to more than 56,000 units in the January-July period from a year earlier.

Skoda vehicles are made in China by Volkswagen's joint venture with SAIC Motor Corp. Ltd. The venture also produces the Octavia and Fabia sedans.