{"id":1158,"date":"2020-04-06T10:25:08","date_gmt":"2020-04-06T10:25:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carl-hahn.de\/biography"},"modified":"2021-12-08T16:04:52","modified_gmt":"2021-12-08T16:04:52","slug":"biography","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/carl-hahn.de\/en\/biography","title":{"rendered":"Biography"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-1 nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-0 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-one-full fusion-column-first fusion-column-last\" style=\"--awb-bg-position:right center;--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-margin-bottom:0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-1\"><p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignright wp-image-539\" src=\"https:\/\/carl-hahn.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/carl-hahn-BG-world-AdobeStock_74146873.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"487\" height=\"249\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carl-hahn.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/carl-hahn-BG-world-AdobeStock_74146873-200x102.png 200w, https:\/\/carl-hahn.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/carl-hahn-BG-world-AdobeStock_74146873-300x153.png 300w, https:\/\/carl-hahn.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/carl-hahn-BG-world-AdobeStock_74146873-400x204.png 400w, https:\/\/carl-hahn.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/carl-hahn-BG-world-AdobeStock_74146873.png 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 487px) 100vw, 487px\" \/><\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-2 nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-1 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-one-full fusion-column-first fusion-column-last\" style=\"--awb-bg-position:right center;--awb-bg-size:cover;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\"><div class=\"fusion-title title fusion-title-1 fusion-sep-none fusion-title-text fusion-title-size-two\"><h2 class=\"fusion-title-heading title-heading-left fusion-responsive-typography-calculated\" style=\"font-family:&quot;Open Sans&quot;;font-style:normal;font-weight:300;margin:0;--fontSize:45;line-height:1;\"><h2>Biography<\/h2><\/h2><\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-2\"><h3>Carl H. Hahn,<br \/>\n<em>European industrial manager<\/em><br \/>\n<em>Born in 1926 in Chemnitz, Germany<\/em><\/h3>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-fullwidth fullwidth-box fusion-builder-row-3 nonhundred-percent-fullwidth non-hundred-percent-height-scrolling\" style=\"--awb-border-radius-top-left:0px;--awb-border-radius-top-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-right:0px;--awb-border-radius-bottom-left:0px;--awb-flex-wrap:wrap;\" ><div class=\"fusion-builder-row fusion-row\"><div class=\"fusion-layout-column fusion_builder_column fusion-builder-column-2 fusion_builder_column_1_1 1_1 fusion-one-full fusion-column-first fusion-column-last\" style=\"--awb-bg-size:cover;--awb-margin-bottom:0px;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper fusion-column-has-shadow fusion-flex-column-wrapper-legacy\"><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-3\"><p>Carl Horst Hahn was born into a family of industrialists linked to the early stages of automobile manufacturing. Dating from <strong>1922<\/strong> his father played a major role in developing DKW toward the world&#8217;s leading motorcycle factory. In <strong>1932<\/strong> Carl Hahn Sr. helped to found the firm of Auto Union by merging the Audi, Wanderer, Horch and DKW brands.<\/p>\n<p>Carl H. Hahn&#8217;s education included the study of economics in universities in Germany, Switzerland and England, as well as political science in France. In <strong>1952<\/strong> he completed his Ph. D. in economics in Bern, Switzerland, with summa cum laude. After a course in Italian and art history at the University of Perugia, Italy, he began his career with FIAT in Italy.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-4\" style=\"--awb-text-transform:none;\"><div class=\"fusion-image-element in-legacy-container\" style=\"--awb-max-width:350px;--awb-caption-title-font-family:var(--h2_typography-font-family);--awb-caption-title-font-weight:var(--h2_typography-font-weight);--awb-caption-title-font-style:var(--h2_typography-font-style);--awb-caption-title-size:var(--h2_typography-font-size);--awb-caption-title-transform:var(--h2_typography-text-transform);--awb-caption-title-line-height:var(--h2_typography-line-height);--awb-caption-title-letter-spacing:var(--h2_typography-letter-spacing);\"><span class=\" fusion-imageframe imageframe-none imageframe-1 hover-type-none\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"https:\/\/carl-hahn.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/thevisionaryinchina-4.jpg\" alt class=\"img-responsive wp-image-2037\" srcset=\"https:\/\/carl-hahn.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/thevisionaryinchina-4-200x113.jpg 200w, https:\/\/carl-hahn.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/thevisionaryinchina-4-400x225.jpg 400w, https:\/\/carl-hahn.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/thevisionaryinchina-4-600x338.jpg 600w, https:\/\/carl-hahn.de\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/12\/thevisionaryinchina-4.jpg 800w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1115px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/span><\/div>\n<p>In my office in the Wolfsburg Museum of Art<\/p>\n<p>There followed a year at the OECD in Paris as Administrateur of the European Productivity Agency before he moved to Volkswagen in Wolfsburg in <strong>1954<\/strong>, where Hahn initially occupied the position of assistant to the legendary VW CEO Heinrich Nordhoff. Five years later he was appointed CEO of Volkswagen of America, where he accomplished the triumph of the VW Beetle. He was also responsible for the development and success of Volkswagen in North America. In recognition of this achievement he was called to join the Volkswagen Executive Board in <strong>1964<\/strong> at the age of 38.<\/p>\n<p>Nine years later, in <strong>1973<\/strong>, Hahn took over the post of CEO of Continental-Gummi-Werke in Hanover \u2013 his departure from VW being prompted by disagreements over strategy. During his management at Continental he succeeded in turning this tyre company into a leading global supplier of tyres and technical rubber products. Today, Continental AG figures among the world\u2019s three biggest automotive suppliers.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-text fusion-text-5\"><p>In <strong>1982<\/strong> Hahn followed the call from Volkswagen back to Wolfsburg, where he worked as Chief Executive until his retirement in 1992. His renewed appointment took place on precisely the same grounds which had led to his dismissal from VW nine years earlier. During this time his name is linked with the successful models which came after the Beetle and the rise of Audi. He turned a company in decline into Europe&#8217;s most dynamic automotive manufacturer.<\/p>\n<p>He is regarded as one of the progenitors of the Golf generation and of a successful divisionalization policy. By way of his strategic decisions, Hahn set the course for the rise of Volkswagen to the status of a global player. New production sites in China, Spain, Portugal and, after the fall of the Iron Curtain, in the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland and Hungary, which were established within the framework of his globalization policy, created the foundation upon which the Volkswagen Group became what it is today \u2013 one of the world\u2019s biggest automobile manufacturers. In the cases of China and Central Europe, Hahn may be considered a pioneer, being years ahead of the competition. Furthermore, after <strong>1989<\/strong>, VW became the largest investor in the former East Germany, where he breathed new life into the decayed production facilities of the automotive industry in Zwickau and Chemnitz. In addition, during Hahn\u2019s period as CEO, important cooperation contracts were concluded with Ford in South America and Portugal, with Toyota for pick-up vehicles in Europe and with Suzuki in the small-car segment.<\/p>\n<p>Among Volkswagen\u2019s many accomplishments during this period is the fact that in <strong>1985<\/strong> the VW group exceeded the 50 billion DM barrier for the first time. Its purchase of the Spanish SEAT marque a year later enabled the Volkswagen Group to expand its European basis and advance to the status of market leader in Europe. In <strong>1990<\/strong> VW invested in the Skoda Works in the Czech Republic, making Skoda the fourth brand in the Group\u2019s portfolio, alongside VW, Audi and Seat. At the end of <strong>1992<\/strong>, Hahn handed over his office as Group CEO to the former Audi chief, Ferdinand Piech and moved to the company\u2019s Supervisory Board where he remained until June <strong>1997<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Among Hahn\u2019s many activities after leaving Volkswagen was his chairmanship of the Board of Directors of the Swiss engineering group Saurer AG, where he operated from <strong>1993<\/strong> to <strong>1996<\/strong>. He is Vice-Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Reykjavik Geothermal Ltd., a pioneering company in the field of power production from geothermal energy. In addition, Hahn served as a member on the supervisory boards of numerous European and American companies, including Bata, Benetton, British Petroleum, Commerzbank, DAF, Gerling, Paccar, ThyssenKrupp, TRW and Perot Systems. He was distinguished as one of \u201cCorporate America\u2019s Outstanding Directors\u201d in the USA in 1999. Hahn is Honorary Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Group brands Audi, Seat and Skoda. Hahn is also an honorary professor at the Wests\u00e4chsische Hochschule Zwickau University of Applied Sciences and at the Kyrgyz State University of Construction, Transportation and Architecture (Faculty of Software Engineering), Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, as well as being a member of the Board of the Lauder Institute at Wharton School\/University of Pennsylvania, the International Advisory Committee of the Salk Institute, California, the Instituto de Empresa, Madrid, the Instituto Internacional San Telmo, Seville, and the International Conference on Genomics, Shenzhen (China). He was an economic advisor to Askar Akaev, President of Kyrgyzstan from <strong>1996<\/strong> to <strong>2005<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>Hahn was the initiator of the Museum of Fine Arts in Wolfsburg and is a member of its Board of Trustees. He is also active in numerous political, cultural and social organizations including being a member of the Board of Trustees of the Antonius Holling Foundation, the Executive Board of the Mayo Clinic Foundation in Germany and the Board of Trustees of the Volksbank BraWo Foundation. He also sits on the Advisory Board of the Saxony International School &#8211; Carl Hahn, Glauchau, and is a member of the Berlin British School. In addition, recent years have seen Hahn acting as patron for a number of organizations, lending his support to different concerns. In <strong>2006<\/strong> he founded the Carl H. Hahn Family Foundation which was renamed the Carl and Marisa Hahn Foundation in remembrance of the founder, Marisa Hahn, who died in June 2013.July <strong>2016<\/strong> saw the establishment of the Carl Hahn Scholarship, the purpose of which is to give outstanding young people from the catchment area of Volkswagen Wolfsburg the opportunity to study in the fields of business\/economics or technology.<\/p>\n<p>Ten universities in Germany and other countries have awarded him honorary academic degrees. Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Italy, Spain, South Africa, Kyrgyzstan, Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic and and the Federal Republic of Germany as well as the States of Lower Saxony and Saxony have awarded him medals of honor. He is also an honorary citizen of Wolfsburg, Chemnitz, Zwickau and Changchun in China.<\/p>\n<p>Hahn published his memoirs entitled \u201cMeine Jahre mit Volkswagen\u201d (\u201cMy Years with Volkswagen\u201d) in <strong>2005<\/strong>, which was also published in the People\u2019s Republic of China in <strong>2007<\/strong>. Russian and Czech-Slovak versions have also been published. <strong>2016<\/strong> saw Hahn \u2013 with co-author Peter Kirchberg \u2013 publish the book entitled \u201cDKW-Hahn\u201d. This is a reminiscence of his father, who played a major role in DKW\u2019s rise to become the world\u2019s biggest motorcycle producer, and in <strong>1932<\/strong> was one of the co-founders of Auto Union which, after World War II, became what is today Audi AG in Ingolstadt. In addition, Hahn has also published the thesis \u201cDer Schuman-Plan \u2013 Eine Untersuchung im besonderen Hinblick auf die deutsch-franz\u00f6sische Stahlindustrie\u201d (\u201cThe Schuman Plan especially in view of the Franco-German Steel Industry\u201d) (<strong>1953<\/strong>) as well as numerous articles and essays in books and other publications including \u201cInternational Capital Flows\u201d by Martin Feldstein and \u201cJahrgang <strong>1926\/27<\/strong> \u2013 Erinnerungen an die Jahre unter dem Hakenkreuz\u201d, (\u201c<strong>1926\/27<\/strong> \u2013 Memories of the Years under the Swastika\u201d), published by Alfred Neven DuMont, in \u201cFocus on Evidence \u2013 Fremdsprachendidaktik trifft Neurowissenschaften\u201d (Foreign Language Teaching Meets Neurosciences) published by Heiner B\u00f6ttger\/Michaela Sambanis, and in \u201cUgly Is Only Skin-Deep \u2013 The Story of the Ads That Changed the World\u201d by Dominik Imseng.<\/p>\n<p>In <strong>2006<\/strong>, Hahn was inducted into the European Automotive Hall of Fame<\/p>\n<p>Hahn&#8217;s wealth of international experience makes him a sought-after speaker at conferences, both in Germany and other countries.<\/p>\n<p>His marriage to his American wife Marisa, n\u00e9e Traina, (who died in 2013) produced four children and nine grandchildren.<\/p>\n<\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/div><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"100-width.php","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1158","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/carl-hahn.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1158","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/carl-hahn.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/carl-hahn.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carl-hahn.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/carl-hahn.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1158"}],"version-history":[{"count":14,"href":"https:\/\/carl-hahn.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1158\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2041,"href":"https:\/\/carl-hahn.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1158\/revisions\/2041"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/carl-hahn.de\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1158"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}