Pablo Di Si, left, and Scott Keogh.
The Volkswagen Group today announced a new strategy and leadership for its North American Region. Pablo Di Si, Executive Chairman of Volkswagen South American Region, is appointed President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, and CEO of Volkswagen North American Region. Scott Keogh, President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, and CEO of Volkswagen North American Region, will become President and CEO of a newly established company dubbed Scout. The changes will take effect 1 September.
Scout will launch all-electric pick-up trucks and SUVs in the U.S. market. Volkswagen, of course, has been haunted for years by its deliberate cheating on deadly diesel emissions levels by using defeat software on EPA compliance tests that made the diesels look compliant when they were far from it*. VW did not say anything about the name Scout, of International Harvester fame, the name it acquired as part another business deal back in 2021.**
“Scott and Pablo have played key roles in turning around the businesses in North America and South America, respectively. In their future positions, they will be pivotal in seizing the historic market opportunities in the U.S., taking our growth strategy in the region to the next level,” said Herbert Diess, CEO of Volkswagen Group.
Volkswagen Group brands say they will offer more than 25 BEV models to American consumers by 2030. Volkswagen will soon start local assembly of its all-electric ID.4 compact SUV in Chattanooga. In addition, the Group says it will build up dedicated EV capabilities in engineering, research and development, assembly, components production, and strong supplier partnerships.
Volkswagen AG in May decided to set up a separate company, building Scout brand, to develop and manufacture a “true American” electric rugged SUV and pickup-truck brand in the U.S. “Entering the market will help Volkswagen AG to deliver on its growth ambitions aimed at doubling the market share of Group companies in the US,” the group claimed in a release.
Scott Keogh has broad experience in the automotive industry. He began his career in 1995 as general manager of marketing communications for Mercedes-Benz USA. Keogh joined the Volkswagen Group in 2006 as Chief Marketing Officer at Audi of America, Inc. In 2012, he assumed the role of President and CEO at Audi of America. Scott Keogh was appointed President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America and Head of the Volkswagen Brand in North America in 2018. Keogh holds a B.A. Degree at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.
Pablo Di Si began his career at Volkswagen Group in 2014 as President & CEO at Volkswagen Argentina and took over the position of President & CEO of Volkswagen Brazil and Latin America in 2017. Recently, he was appointed Executive Chairman of Volkswagen South American Region. Previously, he held positions in finance and business development both in the U.S. and in Brazil with the Fiat Chrysler Group, Kimberly-Clark and Monsanto. A graduate of Harvard Business School, he holds a MBA in International Management at the Thunderbird School of Management and a Degree in Accounting at the Northwestern University. Pablo also earned a B.A. in Business Administration with major in Finance at the Loyola University of Chicago.
*AutoInformed on Dieselgate
**Traton, a VW commercial vehicle entity, bought Navistar International in 2021, the surviving remnants of International Harvester that ceased business in 1985.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
VW Group Changes EV Strategy, Leadership in North America
Pablo Di Si, left, and Scott Keogh.
The Volkswagen Group today announced a new strategy and leadership for its North American Region. Pablo Di Si, Executive Chairman of Volkswagen South American Region, is appointed President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, and CEO of Volkswagen North American Region. Scott Keogh, President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America, and CEO of Volkswagen North American Region, will become President and CEO of a newly established company dubbed Scout. The changes will take effect 1 September.
Scout will launch all-electric pick-up trucks and SUVs in the U.S. market. Volkswagen, of course, has been haunted for years by its deliberate cheating on deadly diesel emissions levels by using defeat software on EPA compliance tests that made the diesels look compliant when they were far from it*. VW did not say anything about the name Scout, of International Harvester fame, the name it acquired as part another business deal back in 2021.**
“Scott and Pablo have played key roles in turning around the businesses in North America and South America, respectively. In their future positions, they will be pivotal in seizing the historic market opportunities in the U.S., taking our growth strategy in the region to the next level,” said Herbert Diess, CEO of Volkswagen Group.
Volkswagen Group brands say they will offer more than 25 BEV models to American consumers by 2030. Volkswagen will soon start local assembly of its all-electric ID.4 compact SUV in Chattanooga. In addition, the Group says it will build up dedicated EV capabilities in engineering, research and development, assembly, components production, and strong supplier partnerships.
Volkswagen AG in May decided to set up a separate company, building Scout brand, to develop and manufacture a “true American” electric rugged SUV and pickup-truck brand in the U.S. “Entering the market will help Volkswagen AG to deliver on its growth ambitions aimed at doubling the market share of Group companies in the US,” the group claimed in a release.
Scott Keogh has broad experience in the automotive industry. He began his career in 1995 as general manager of marketing communications for Mercedes-Benz USA. Keogh joined the Volkswagen Group in 2006 as Chief Marketing Officer at Audi of America, Inc. In 2012, he assumed the role of President and CEO at Audi of America. Scott Keogh was appointed President and CEO of Volkswagen Group of America and Head of the Volkswagen Brand in North America in 2018. Keogh holds a B.A. Degree at Hobart and William Smith Colleges.
Pablo Di Si began his career at Volkswagen Group in 2014 as President & CEO at Volkswagen Argentina and took over the position of President & CEO of Volkswagen Brazil and Latin America in 2017. Recently, he was appointed Executive Chairman of Volkswagen South American Region. Previously, he held positions in finance and business development both in the U.S. and in Brazil with the Fiat Chrysler Group, Kimberly-Clark and Monsanto. A graduate of Harvard Business School, he holds a MBA in International Management at the Thunderbird School of Management and a Degree in Accounting at the Northwestern University. Pablo also earned a B.A. in Business Administration with major in Finance at the Loyola University of Chicago.
*AutoInformed on Dieselgate
**Traton, a VW commercial vehicle entity, bought Navistar International in 2021, the surviving remnants of International Harvester that ceased business in 1985.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.