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Duesmann is the second high-profile defection from BMW to
Volkswagen group following the departure of Herbert Diess in
July 2015 as head of the VW brand. Diess took over as chief
executive of VW Group in April.
Volkswagen is still trying to recover from a 2015 emissions
scandal, while BMW's vehicles have faced fewer regulatory
problems tied to excessive pollution when compared with rivals
Mercedes, VW, Porsche and Audi.
"Mr. Duesmann, currently Board of Management Member for
Purchasing and Supplier Network at BMW AG, will take up his new
position as soon as he is able to do so," Volkswagen said in a
statement.
BMW said Duesmann had informed its chairman that he would not
make himself available for an extension of his contract because
of personal reasons.
"As a consequence, the Chairman of the Supervisory Board and Mr.
Duesmann agreed that Mr. Duesmann will be relieved of his
contractual responsibilities as Management Board Member for
Purchasing and Supplier Network with immediate effect," BMW
said.
German newspaper Handelsblatt reported that Volkswagen wanted
Duesmann to fill the post of Audi chief executive following the
arrest of former boss Rupert Stadler.
Duesmann cannot take over as Audi CEO full time until Stadler
permanently steps down as head of the Audi brand. Stadler has
been temporarily replaced while he remains in custody on
suspicion of interfering with a probe into the carmaker's
excessive emissions.
VW and Audi have said that Stadler is presumed innocent unless
proven otherwise.
(Reporting by Caroline Copley and Edward Taylor; editing by
Jason Neely and Jane Merriman)
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