Wayne Griffiths steps down as CEO of Seat and Cupra

Top management shake-ups keep rolling across the automotive industry. The news of Volvo CEO Jim Rowan leaving the company has hardly cooled, as Volkswagen Group announces the departure of Seat and Cupra boss Wayne Griffiths. However, Griffiths’ departure is different. 

Griffiths’ sudden exit is at his request, as he seeks “new challenges,” though no specific next step has been disclosed. The announcement ends Griffiths’ four-year stint at the helm of VW’s Spanish subsidiaries. Seat’s production and logistics chief, Markus Haupt, will take over interim while a permanent replacement is sought.

Boosting Cupra

Griffiths has been a VW Group veteran since 1989. He took over as CEO in 2020 during a turbulent time. Seat was losing money, and the newly spun-off Cupra brand, an idea from his predecessor Luca di Meo, was still in its infancy. Under Griffith’s leadership, Cupra evolved from a sporty sub-brand into one of Europe’s fastest-growing automotive names.

The 2021 launch of the all-electric Cupra Born underscored his push toward electrification and brand differentiation, helping to anchor the company’s commitment to innovation and sustainability.

Griffiths departs with the brands on solid footing. In 2024, Seat and Cupra combined for global deliveries of over 558,000 vehicles, with each brand posting 7.5 percent growth year-over-year. Operating profit reached €633 million, a turnaround from the red ink that marked the early days of Griffiths’ tenure.

‘A true car guy’

Still, his departure comes at a pivotal moment. Griffiths had voiced concern over the EU’s new tariffs on Chinese-made electric vehicles, which directly impact the China-built Cupra Tavascan.

Facing a 20.7 percent duty, the model’s viability was questioned. Griffiths warned that failure to reduce or eliminate the tariffs could lead to job losses and potentially force Cupra to cut the Tavascan from its lineup. “If Cupra is at risk, Seat is at risk,” he warned just months before his departure.

Volkswagen brand CEO Thomas Schäfer, who also chairs Seat and Cupra’s supervisory board, praised Griffiths’ contributions. “He’s done a great job building the Cupra brand and restructuring the company,” Schäfer said. “He is, in the best sense, a true car guy.”