Audi replaces CTO: Rouven Mohr takes over technical development
The Frenchman Geoffrey Bouquot joined Audi in mid-2024 and immediately took on the newly created board-level division for ‘Innovation and Software-Defined Vehicle (SDV).’ By the end of 2024, this department was merged with Technical Development (TE), and Bouquot was appointed to lead the combined unit. At the time, Audi CEO Gernot Döllner had been overseeing TE in a dual capacity and relinquished his role as CTO to Bouquot as part of the restructuring.
“Over the past two years, Geoffrey Bouquot has reignited the ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ mindset and successfully initiated the transformation of Audi R&D. He strengthened the organisation, advanced cross-functional collaboration, and laid essential foundations for the next phase,” Audi stated in its announcement regarding the latest CTO change. However, no specific reasons for Bouquot’s departure were provided.
The reasons behind Bouquot’s departure—or why he had to leave—can most likely be inferred from the qualities Audi highlights in his successor, Rouven Mohr.
“Rouven Mohr joins us as a distinguished technology expert who combines in-depth know-how with a clear focus on long-term value creation for Audi,” said Manfred Döss, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of AUDI AG. The press release added: “He previously applied his broad technical expertise and in-depth development experience to lead complex transformation projects.”
It suggests that Audi may have lost confidence in Bouquot, a software expert who was new to the automotive industry in 2024. Additionally, scepticism within the TE division towards the once industry-outsider manager was said to have never fully dissipated.
This is unlikely to be an issue for Mohr, who is not only an experienced automotive developer and ‘petrolhead’ but also a long-standing Audi stalwart. Over his 18 years within the VW Group, Mohr has held several leadership positions, including roles in vehicle development, verification, and fleet emissions. Most recently, Mohr served as CTO of Audi’s subsidiary Lamborghini, where he implemented the brand’s hybrid strategy, among other initiatives. Privately, Mohr is also a devoted Audi enthusiast: he upgraded his Audi S2 quattro with a wide-body kit in collaboration with well-known figures in the tuning scene and has appeared in several YouTube videos as a result. Within the tuning community, he is also known as ‘Dr. Crazy.’
“Rouven Mohr combines technical excellence with a focus on products and proven execution strength. He will play a central role in further accelerating our innovation” said Audi CEO Döllner. “At the same time, I would like to sincerely thank Geoffrey for his leadership and his important contribution to Audi’s technological evolution, wishing him continued success and all the best for his next professional chapter.”
As mentioned, Mohr will take over TE at the Ingolstadt headquarters on 1 March, but will also continue his role as CTO at Lamborghini on an interim basis until a successor is appointed. The announcement does not specify when Bouquot will leave the company, only confirming that he will ‘pursue new professional opportunities outside the company.’
One thing is clear: Mohr is the tenth head of Technical Development at Audi since 2012. From 2007 to 2012, Michael Dick led the division. In 2012, Wolfgang Dürheimer took over, only to be replaced in 2013 by Ulrich Hackenberg, a confidant of former VW CEO Martin Winterkorn. Hackenberg was forced to step down in 2015 amid the diesel scandal. He was succeeded in early 2016 by Stefan Knirsch, who resigned later that same year after being implicated in the diesel scandal. In May 2017, Peter Mertens, who had been recruited from Volvo, took over the role but left in 2018 due to health reasons, with Gerd Rothenspieler stepping in. After Rothenspieler’s departure in 2020, then-CEO Markus Duesmann took over, passing the role to Oliver Hoffmann around three-quarters of a year later. This was followed by Döllner in March 2024 and, later that same year, Bouquot.
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