Prof. Dr. Martin Winterkorn, Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, today received an honorary doctorate (Dr.-Ing. E. h.) from Chemnitz University of Technology. With the honorary doctorate, Chemnitz University of Technology pays tribute to Winterkorn’s outstanding services to science and technology. In its citation, the university honors Winterkorn’s contribution to automotive practice with his approach to combine productivity increases, technical innovations and product quality improvements, acknowledging in particular his commitment to initiating the scientific elaboration and application of key metal forming innovations for forward-looking automobile concepts. Moreover, Winterkorn has played an active role in helping to network research and the automotive industry in Saxony, thereby fostering the development of Saxony as a science location.
Laudation addresses were given by Prof. Dr. Ferdinand Piëch, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Volkswagen Aktiengesellschaft, Matthias Wissmann, President of the German Association of the Automotive Industry, Dr. Matthias Rößler, President of the Saxon State Parliament and Prof. Dr. Reimund Neugebauer, Director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Machine Tools and Forming Technology (IWU) in Chemnitz. The ceremony was held during the week of events celebrating the 175th anniversary of Chemnitz University of Technology.
Winterkorn became Chairman of the Board of Management of Volkswagen AG on January 1, 2007. With effect from February 1, 2007 he also assumed responsibility for the area of “Group Research and Development”, taking over the chairmanship of the Board of Management of the Volkswagen brand at the same time. In addition, Winterkorn became Chairman of the Board of Management of Porsche Automobil Holding SE, Stuttgart, on November 25, 2009.
