Seat and Cupra CEO Wayne Griffths steps down after four-year tenure
Boss is said to be leaving ‘at his own request’.
Wayne Griffiths, CEO of Seat and Cupra, is stepping down from his leadership role after a five-year period at the head of both firms.
Leaving the company ‘at his own request on March 31, 2025 to pursue new challenges’, Griffiths ends a successful stint at the company, which saw him join in October 2020. Soon after, Cupra went through a dramatic period of revitalisation, introducing a fleet of new models including the company’s first electric model – the Born.
Griffiths will be succeeded in the interim by Markus Haupt, executive vice-president of production & logistics of Seat, with a full-time successor to be announced at a later date. At present, it is not clear whether Griffiths will be moving to another automotive business.
Thomas Schäfer, Volkswagen AG, core marque group & CEO of the Volkswagen Marque and Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Seat and Cupra, said: “Wayne Griffiths has done a great job in building the Cupra brand and restructuring the company. His understanding of the brand is remarkable. He is, in the best sense, a true car guy. We thank him for his excellent contribution and wish him all the best for the future.”
Shortly after he joined Seat and Cupra, Griffiths oversaw the launch of several new models, including the Cupra Terramar and Tavascan, which have both since gone on sale in the UK. As part of the wider Volkswagen Group, both Cupra and Seat have been able to take advantage fo the technology used in its parent company’s cars. Today, Cupra is one of the fastest-growing car companies in Europe. Griffiths has worked throughout many of the Volkswagen Group brands, having spent a period at Audi before being appointed Seat S.A.’s executive vice-president for sales and marketing in 2016.
