Biene became the first woman to serve as VWGA's chairperson and managing director when she was appointed to the role in November 2022. She is now set to be succeeded by Christiane Zorn, subject to the completion of the necessary regulatory and statutory processes.
Biene's appointment as VWGA's managing director was her second spell with the company. She previously served as Head of the Volkswagen Passenger Brand from October 2018 to August 2020, during which the brand achieved a record 20.4% market share in 2019.
During Biene's leadership, Volkswagen's Kariega plant recorded its highest production volume to date, producing 167,084 vehicles in 2024.
That year, Volkswagen also announced a R4bn investment to produce a third model, the Tengo, at the plant. The model was officially unveiled this week as part of Volkswagen's 75th anniversary celebrations in South Africa.
Biene also served as President of the Association of African Automotive Manufacturers from October 2023 until July 2026.
She said the early launch of the Tengo was among the key achievements of her time at VWGA, particularly for its expected contribution to production at Plant Kariega and Volkswagen's SUV plans in South Africa and other African markets.
"It has been an honour to lead and work with such a great and resilient team," Biene said. "Despite the challenges facing both the automotive industry and our company, we have achieved many milestones worth celebrating."
Zorn will take over as VWGA Chairperson and Managing Director on 1 October.
She is currently Vice President Region Overseas at Porsche AG and has 20 years of experience in the automotive industry.
Zorn joined BMW in 2013 after working as a consultant at Boston Consulting Group. Her career at BMW included roles in Munich and Beijing, before she moved to Audi in March 2020.
At Audi, she held several management positions, including Head of Sales for China, Head of Product Marketing and Head of Product Strategy.
"I am excited to join Volkswagen Group Africa and play my part in driving the future of Volkswagen in Africa with the team," Zorn said.
