Regarding the board appointment, Handelsblatt reported around two weeks ago that Reimold, whose contract as Production Chief was originally due to run until early 2027, would step down early on 1 September 2026. Porsche has now confirmed the report, announcing that Reimold (65) will hand over his responsibilities on 31 August before retiring.
Christian Friedl (49), who succeeds Reimold, is a long-standing Porsche executive. He most recently headed Corporate Quality and previously held a range of management positions within the company’s production division.
Meanwhile, Der Spiegel reports that Michael Leiters, who became Porsche CEO on 1 January 2026, has asked for time until early October to finalise the company’s strategy. According to the report, however, the direction is already becoming clear: Porsche intends to refocus on its roots as a “sports car manufacturer” and define the brand more through exclusive combustion-engine models than through electric vehicles, as it did under former CEO Oliver Blume.
Former CEO Oliver Blume had already postponed the large electric SUV, internally known as the K1, until the 2030s. According to Der Spiegel, Michael Leiters has now also delayed a second project—an all-electric version of the Panamera—”well into the next decade”. The report further states that Porsche is distancing itself from Volkswagen’s software partnership with US electric vehicle manufacturer Rivian.
