09.02.2022
Maren Gräf, member of the Board of Management of ŠKODA AUTO for People & Culture, was elected as the new Chairwoman of the Board of Directors of ŠKODA AUTO University at the start of January 2022. She became also the first woman to be a part of this supreme management body of the university.
“I am very proud and honored to have been elected for the position of Chair of the Board of Directors of ŠKODA AUTO University. Its operation is the best example of responsible business with a great contribution towards the development of the region and the education of the younger generation. I consider the university to be a very important source of talent – not only for ŠKODA AUTO. I am very happy to be able to take the next milestones together with ŠKODA AUTO University and to be part of its move to the NEXT LEVEL,” says Maren Gräf on her election.
Maren Gräf has been with the Volkswagen Group for more than 20 years – she started her career here in 1999. She has worked in various positions – first in the Legal Affairs Department and then in the field of human resources management, with which her subsequent career was associated. She worked for three years in China at FAW-Volkswagen as Head of Management Development. After returning to Wolfsburg, she took on the position of Head of Management Development in the areas of Production & Logistics, Component Production and E-mobility, and later on the position of Head of HR for the senior management of the VW Group. Since March 2021, she has been the first woman to hold a position in the top management of ŠKODA AUTO.
She takes over this position from Bohdan Wojnar, who held this office since 2013. The university underwent major development under his chairmanship – it significantly expanded its portfolio of study programmes, opened a new branch in Prague, obtained the prestigious international ACBSP accreditation and commenced tuition in a dual education programme.
“I have been connected with ŠKODA AUTO University since the very first moments of its foundation. The affiliation between the company and this educational institution with its unique profile and unique quality of educational programmes is a great advantage. I in particular appreciate its link with the real world of business and the exclusive profile its graduates possess. I look forward to further meetings with students and teachers while teaching there,” says Bohdan Wojnar, who will continue to work at the school as a guest lecturer.
“Bohdan Wojnar deserves a significant credit for the work he has done for ŠKODA AUTO University. We greatly appreciate the valuable experience he was able to pass on to us during his time in the Board of Directors of ŠKODA AUTO University. At the same time, we warmly welcome our new Chairwoman, Maren Gräf, and look forward to working with her in the further development of our university,” adds Pavel Mertlík, Rector of ŠKODA AUTO University.
The Board of Directors of ŠKODA AUTO University also includes Karsten Schnake, member of the Board of Management of ŠKODA AUTO for Purchasing, and Christian Schenk, member of the Board of Management of ŠKODA AUTO for Finance and IT.