Ford Germany denies report chief may join VW

FRANKFURT, May 11, 2003; Reuters reported that Ford-Werke AG, the German unit of Ford Motor Co , said on Sunday its chief executive Bernhard Mattes had no intention of leaving the company, dismissing reports he may join Volkswagen AG as sales director.

"There is nothing to it," Ford-Werke spokesman Wolfgang Riecke told Reuters, adding that Mattes still had much to do at Ford-Werke and was fully committed to the job. Mattes joined Ford in 1999, becoming head of the German unit last September.

Citing industry sources, the Frankfurter Allgemeine reported in its Sunday edition that Volkswagen (XETRA:VOWG.DE - News) wanted to poach Mattes as a replacement for Robert Buechelhofer, who quit Europe's biggest carmaker in April.

A VW spokesman declined to comment but referred to Chief Executive Bernd Pischetsrieder's remarks at the company's annual shareholder meeting on April 24, when he said no decision had been taken about the group's future sales structure.

Pischetsrieder assumed responsibility for sales and marketing following Buechelhofer's sudden departure.