- Audi China’s leadership swap names Jeff Zhang as president and brings Audi Sport’s Rolf Michl in as COO, signaling a shift to deepen local control amid China market complexity and brand splits.
- Audi plans four new AUDI models on a jointly developed ADP 2.0 platform with SAIC, first due 2028, and reported H1 2026 China deliveries of 232,227 vehicles, down about 19% year‑on‑year.
- The moves target domestic EV competition and dual‑JV complexity between FAW and SAIC, but face execution risks around JV division details, customer rights, platform delivery timing and scaling.
Audi announced on October 22 that Jeff Zhang will succeed Johannes Roscheck as president of Audi China, effective November 1. He will be the first Chinese executive to lead Audi China since its establishment.
Rolf Michl, currently managing director of Audi Sport GmbH, will move to China to take up the role of chief operating officer at Audi China.
Following the changes, Jeff and Michl will jointly form Audi China’s management board. Roscheck will return to Audi’s headquarters in Ingolstadt, Germany, in early 2027.
Jeff has more than 20 years of international automotive management experience. He previously served as vice president of Chery International and CEO of the Chery brand, overseeing Chery’s European operations.
He also held management positions at Stellantis, where he was responsible for Alfa Romeo and DS Automobiles in China. From 2018 to 2020, Jeff held senior management roles at Audi China, contributing to the establishment of SAIC Audi’s sales organization and strategic projects related to FAW Audi.
Audi currently operates in China through two joint ventures, with FAW Group and SAIC Motor.
Earlier this year, reports emerged that Audi was considering a clearer division of brand operations between the two partners. Under the proposed arrangement, FAW Audi would operate the traditional Audi brand bearing the four-ring logo, while SAIC Audi would handle AUDI, a separate brand developed specifically for China that does not use the four-ring emblem.
Reports suggest the plan has largely been finalized, although details covering production, sales, after-sales service and the rights of existing customers remain under discussion. Audi, FAW Group and SAIC Motor have yet to publicly confirm the reported changes.
Alongside its restructuring in China, Audi is expanding its local R&D partnership with SAIC Motor. The two companies announced a deeper strategic partnership on April 17 and established the Audi Innovation & Technology Center (AITC) in Shanghai in September.
The center was jointly established by Audi and SAIC to serve the AUDI brand. It covers the full development process, from product planning to vehicle engineering, with work spanning smart cockpits, advanced driver-assistance systems and software-defined vehicles.
AITC has begun developing Audi’s ADP 2.0 intelligent digital platform. The partners plan to use the platform to jointly develop four new AUDI models, with the first scheduled to launch in 2028.
The management reshuffle and expanded R&D efforts come as Audi faces mounting pressure in China, where the rapid shift toward new energy vehicles has weighed on sales.
Audi delivered 232,227 vehicles in China, including Hong Kong, in the first half of 2026, down approximately 19% year on year from 287,600 a year earlier, according to the company’s H1 2026 financial results. Global deliveries fell about 7% YoY to 727,245 vehicles.
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