Wayne Griffiths has left Cupra
Wayne Griffiths joined Seat as Head of Sales and Marketing in 2016 and took over from Luca de Meo in 2020. Now, the now-former CEO has surprisingly stepped down “to take on new challenges,” as Seat writes in a short press release. Seat’s interim CEO Markus Haupt will now step into the breach until a long-term successor is found.
Griffith’s leadership saw the successful establishment of the Cupra sub-brand, which is now one of the European car brands with the highest growth rates. Seat also describes the market launch of the Cupra Born in 2021 – the brand’s first fully electric model – as a significant milestone during Griffith’s time as CEO.
Thomas Schäfer, a member of the Volkswagen Board of Management and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Seat and Cupra, among others, made the following official statement: “Wayne Griffiths has done a great job in building the Cupra brand and restructuring the company. His understanding of the brand is remarkable. He is, in the best sense, a true car guy. We thank him for his excellent contribution and wish him all the best for the future.”
This marks the second major career change for Griffiths in the last year, after he stepped down from the position of President of the Spanish Association of Car and Truck Manufacturers (ANFAC) last June. This was less due to personal reasons, however, as he cited the lack of support from the Spanish government on his way out: “These measures have not materialised. And that’s why I’m disappointed, because now it’s time to speed up, not slow down.”
Seat is gearing up to start production of a compact electric car before 2025, even if only pre-series production, and is looking to establish a manufacturing foothold in the USA, however, these plans may have changed since the presidential election and uncertainty surrounding subsidies and tariffs.
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