SEAT appoints new executive Vice-president for Purchasing

ALFONSO SANCHA, NEW SEAT EXECUTIVE VICE-PRESIDENT FOR PURCHASING

(PRESS RELEASE) MARTORELL, 22-Aug-2019 — /EuropaWire/ — SEAT announces the appointment of Alfonso Sancha as new executive Vice-president for Purchasing. He will assume his position on September 1st and will be a part of the SEAT Executive Committee. He will be replacing company Executive Committee member Klaus Ziegler who will become Head of Purchasing for connectivity, e-mobility and driver assistance systems for the Volkswagen Group worldwide.

Sancha joins the company at a time when Purchasing has expanded its responsibilities with the Volkswagen Group. He will provide additional momentum to the figures of Purchasing. Sancha aims to develop SEAT’s electric strategy within the Purchasing division, enhance its leadership in North Africa, where the company is leading supplier relations in the region, in China where SEAT is present in the framework of the joint venture between Volkswagen Group China and JAC, and support SEAT’s expansion in Latin America. In 2018, Purchasing managed a volume of 7.137 billion euros, up by 5.6% compared to the previous year (6.758 billion). The volume of purchases managed by SEAT has gone up by 23.2% in the past five years.

SEAT has also been in charge of coordinating the Volkswagen Group’s general purchasing activities since 2017 in the Iberian Peninsula for all procurements that are not directly related to vehicles, with the aim of identifying synergies and contributing to cost optimisation.

Prior to joining SEAT, Alfonso Sancha has worked extensively in the Volkswagen Group, where he previously carried out responsibilities in the areas of external Purchasing and new projects. He has also held internationally relevant positions in Germany, Mexico and China. He was the executive Vice-president for Purchasing at Volkswagen Group China from 2011 to 2014. Currently, Sancha is the Head of Purchasing of metal parts for the entire Volkswagen Group, until he joins SEAT in September.

Luca de Meo, SEAT President, said: “Alfonso Sancha’s long trajectory in the area of Purchasing, at the Volkswagen Group and in strategic projects and markets for SEAT, such as China, will be decisive for reaching the future goals of the company and boosting the results achieved until now. We are very happy to welcome a Spanish executive with extensive international experience to the SEAT Executive Committee.”

Commenting on Klaus Ziegler’s new role as Head of Purchasing for connectivity, e-mobility and driver assistance systems, Luca de Meo added: “Klaus Ziegler has been a cornerstone in managing the network of suppliers for the product offensive we launched beginning in 2016 and has contributed to successfully attaining key projects such as managing general purchases in the Iberian Peninsula and being the lead brand in North Africa.”

Contact SEAT Communications:

Cristina Vall-Llosada
Head of Corporate Communications
M/ +34 646 295 296
cristina.vall-llosada@seat.es

Blanca Marco
Corporate Communications
M/ +34 699 158 887
Blanca.marco@seat.es

SOURCE: SEAT, S.A.