Walliser will succeed Adrian Hallmark, who left the British luxury brand in March.
Audi CEO Gernot Döllner: “With his distinct technological expertise and experience in the luxury segment, Walliser will successfully lead Bentley into the electrified future.”
Frank-Steffen Walliser is moving from Porsche to Bentley to take on the post of Chairman and CEO on July 1.
“In Frank-Steffen Walliser, Bentley is getting an experienced engineer with distinct product and technology expertise and entrepreneurial experience who brought brand-defining models to the streets at Porsche, including the Porsche 918 Spyder. On Bentley’s ongoing path toward becoming the leading provider in the luxury segment, Frank-Steffen Walliser’s many years of experience and knowledge of the luxury segment will be invaluable,” said Gernot Döllner, Chairman of the Board of Management of AUDI AG, who’s responsible for the Brand Group Progressive comprising Audi, Lamborghini, Bentley, and Ducati within the Volkswagen Group.
“I am approaching this job with great respect and looking forward to having a team in Crewe that has shown impressive performance over the last few years. The continuing transformation of the automotive industry will be a major task for Bentley as well, a task that I am happy to take on with the team. I am convinced Bentley will continue to set standards in the luxury segment in the future” Frank-Steffen Walliser said.
After studying mechanical engineering with a focus on combustion engines and technology management, Frank-Steffen Walliser joined Porsche in 1995 and has remained loyal to the brand ever since.
In 2010, the native of Stuttgart became the overall project leader responsible for the development of the future-oriented 918 Spyder super sports car. Starting in 2014, he made a name for himself as Head of Motorsport before taking over management of the 911 and 718 product lines at the beginning of 2019. Since 2022, he has been in charge of overall vehicle development (vehicle architecture and characteristics) at Porsche.