VW Shuffles U.S. Leadership Around New EV Brand Scout

Global Volkswagen Group (Volkswagen AG) announced changes within its leadership team to accelerate its growth strategy in North America. According to the news release, as part of its NEW AUTO strategy, the global group aims to leverage the transformation to electric vehicles (EVs), with a broad product portfolio and the set-up of a new company to enter the all-electric pickup space.

Scott Keogh, president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, has been appointed president and CEO of Scout, an independent company that is being established in the U.S.

Pablo Di Si, executive chairman of Volkswagen South American Region, will assume leadership of Volkswagen Group of America, and CEO of Volkswagen North American Region. The changes will take effect September 1.

VW plans to roll out a broad electrified portfolio in the North American market. By the decade’s end, the brand aims to offer more than 25 BEV models to American consumers. Volkswagen will soon start local assembly of its all-electric ID.4 compact SUV in Chattanooga. In addition, it plans to build dedicated EV capabilities in engineering, research and development, assembly, components production, and strong supplier partnerships. 

In May, Volkswagen AG decided to set up a separate company, building on the Scout brand, to develop and manufacture a “true American” electric rugged SUV and pickup-truck brand in the U.S. Entering the market will help Volkswagen AG to deliver on its growth ambitions aimed at doubling the market share of group companies in the U.S., the news release said.

"Scott Keogh and Pablo Di Si both have played key roles in turning around the businesses in their respective regions, North America and South America," said Volkswagen Group CEO Herbert Diess. "In their future positions, they will be pivotal in helping the group seize the historic market opportunities in the U.S., taking our growth strategy in the region to the next level."

Keogh will turn over his responsibilities for Volkswagen Group of America operations to senior management of Volkswagen Group of America in order to focus solely on the development of Scout. Di Si assumes his new role of president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, and CEO of Volkswagen North American Region, on September 1. His succession in Volkswagen South America will be announced in the near future.

As president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, Keogh led the company’s return to profitability for the first time in years, helping dealers realize substantial profit growth while navigating COVID-19 and supply chain challenges. He’s also been driving the group’s electric mobility push and has been instrumental in bringing the VW ID.4, ID. Buzz, and Audi e-tron to market in North America.

Di Si has led the company’s return to profitability in the Latin America market for the first time in years, promoting the most significant launch of new products in its history tailored to the region’s needs. He also led a restructuring focused on cultural transformation, creating new business models, accelerating digitalization, and improving client satisfaction. Volkswagen became a leader in the A0 SUV segment in Brazil, and the brand remains the largest producer and exporter of light vehicles in the country.

Keogh has extensive experience in the automotive industry, beginning his career in 1995 as general manager of marketing communications for Mercedes-Benz USA. Keogh joined the Volkswagen Group in 2006 as chief marketing officer at Audi of America, Inc. In 2012, he assumed the role of president and CEO at Audi of America. Keogh was appointed president and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America and head of the Volkswagen Brand in North America in 2018. Keogh holds a B.A. degree at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.

Pablo Di Si began his career at Volkswagen Group in 2014 as president & CEO at Volkswagen Argentina and took over the position of president & CEO of Volkswagen Brazil and Latin America in 2017. Recently, he was appointed executive chairman of Volkswagen South American Region. Previously, he held key positions in finance and business development both in the U.S. and in Brazil with the Fiat Chrysler Group, Kimberly-Clark, and Monsanto. A graduate of Harvard Business School, he holds an M.B.A in international management at the Thunderbird School of Management and a degree in accounting at the Northwestern University. Di Si also earned a B.A. in business administration with major in finance at the Loyola University of Chicago.