Alfonso Sancha (Mainz, Germany, 1965) has been appointed new SEAT executive Vice-president for Purchasing and will assume his position on 1st September. He is replacing company Executive Committee member Klaus Ziegler, who will become Head of Purchasing for connectivity, e-mobility and driver asistance systems for the Volkswagen Group worldwide. Sancha has had relevant international positions within the Volkswagen Group, including Vice-president for Purchasing at Volkswagen Group China and Head of Purchasing of metal parts at the Volkswagen Group, his role to date.
The Spanish executive is joining the company at a time when Purchasing has expanded its responsibilities with the Volkswagen Group. Among his goals, Sancha is going to develop SEAT’s electric strategy within the Purchasing division. He also aims to enhance its leadership in North Africa, where the company is leading supplier relations in the region, China, where SEAT is present in the framework of the joint venture between Volkswagen Group China and JAC, and support SEAT’s expansion in Latin America. Likewise, he is also going to provide additional momentum to the figures of Purchasing, which in 2018 managed a volume of 7.137 billion euros, up by 5.6% compared to the previous year (6.758 billion). In the past five years, the volume of purchases managed by SEAT has gone up by 23.2%.
Furthermore, SEAT has also been in charge of coordinating the Volkswagen Group’s general purchasing activities since 2017 in the Iberian Peninsula for all procurements that are not directly related to vehicles, with the aim of identifying synergies and contributing to cost optimisation.
Alfonso Sancha will be part of the SEAT Executive Committee from 1st September.
Alfonso Sancha has worked extensively in the Volkswagen Group and for SEAT, where he previously carried out responsibilities in the areas of external Purchasing and new projects. With his broad experience he has held internationally relevant positions in Germany, Mexico and China, where from 2011 to 2014 he was the executive Vice-president for Purchasing at Volkswagen Group China. Until joining SEAT in September, Sancha has been Head of Purchasing of metal parts for the entire Volkswagen Group.
“Alfonso Sancha’s long trajectory in the area of Purchasing, at the Volkswagen Group and in strategic projects and markets for SEAT, such as China, will be decisive for reaching the future goals of the company and boosting the results achieved until now. We are very happy to welcome a Spanish executive with extensive international experience to the SEAT Executive Committee”, pointed out SEAT President Luca de Meo.
Moreover, Klaus Ziegler is transferring to the Volkswagen Group as Head of Purchasing for connectivity, e-mobility and driver asistance systems following nearly five years as a member of the SEAT Executive Committee. “Klaus Ziegler has been a cornerstone in managing the network of suppliers for the product offensive we launched beginning in 2016 and has contributed to successfully attaining key projects such as managing general purchases in the Iberian Peninsula and being the lead brand in North Africa”, stated de Meo.
