Everyone knows who is behind Tesla. No one needs to introduce Jeff Bezos. The world knows him as the mind behind the eCommerce wonder, Amazon. However, not all CEOs and entrepreneurs get in the limelight. For instance, very few people know who owns Snapchat. Similarly, not a lot is known about the CEO of Lamborghini.
However, once you know more about his inspirational journey, you will definitely want to learn a thing or two from him. The CEO of Lamborghini is Stephan Winkelmann, who returned to the automobile company as the president and CEO in December 2020. He succeeded Stefano Domenicali, who moved on to become the CEO of formula in 2021. But this isn’t how his journey began. Indeed, there’s a lot you need to know about the CEO of Lamborghini to understand how he reached this position.
The Hidden Story of the CEO of Lamborghini
Interestingly, this isn’t the first time Stephan Winkelmann became the CEO of Lamborghini. In fact, he held the position in the company from 2005 to 2016 too. And during this time, it was primarily due to his leadership that the company got recognition as the global leader in its field.
He was behind the many cutting-edge, not to mention iconic, models introduced during the period. Do you know that the V10 Huracán and V12 Aventador were introduced under his leadership? Or that he was behind the derivatives of the Gallardo? He also introduced many limited editions in the company. It’s not really surprising that Lamborghini set new sales records during this period.
And let’s not forget about SUV Urus. This one was undoubtedly a turning point for Lamborghini. Introduced in 2015 when Stephan Winkelmann was the CEO of Lamborghini. You must now be wondering why you don’t know more about this man. After all, his contributions to the success of this automobile company are incredible.
Stephan Winkelmann is leading two incredibly unique and powerful automobile companies simultaneously. On the one hand, there’s Bugatti which the world recognizes as the most elegant, luxurious, and powerful sports car. And then there’s Lamborghini, which is easily an iconic brand in the world of sports cars. Car lovers worldwide market at the innovation and design these brands have exhibited. Can you imagine the results when the creativity of both companies joined hands?
Who Is Stephan Winkelmann? Introducing the CEO Of Lamborghini
So let’s go back a bit and find out more about Stephan Winkelmann. There must be more to know about the man other than him being the CEO of Lamborghini.
He was born in 1964 in Germany. However, he grew up in Rome, Italy. In Rome, he studied political science and subsequently graduated in 1991.
Winkelmann stepped into the professional world as part of a German financial institute. However, he soon identified his true calling and interest and moved to the automotive industry. You will be surprised to know how many prominent brands he has been a part of in this industry.
Initially, he worked for Mercedes-Benz. From 1994 to 2004, he was a part of Fiat Auto. In fact, he was appointed the CEO of the company. Then, from 2005 to 2016, he was the CEO of Lamborghini. He became the CEO of Quattro GmbH in March 2016. You know of the company now as Audi Sport GmbH. Finally, he joined Bugatti automobiles in 2018 as the president.
So what do you learn from the journey of the CEO of Lamborghini? That there are always new mountains to climb! Never settle with a position. Instead, look for new opportunities and milestones. If you continue challenging yourself at every step, you will continue to achieve heights beyond your imagination.
Of course, it’s not enough to know the companies Stephan Winkelmann was a part of. We must endeavor to find out his contributions to these companies too.
Alfa Romeo & Fiat
When Winkelmann joined Alfa Romeo, Lancia, and Fiat Professional, he was a part of the marketing and sales management team. He was initially the head of Alfa Romeo Germany before becoming the head of marketing for the southern region of Fiat.
When Alfa Romeo 156 was launched, Winkelmann worked as the area manager for different European markets. Eventually, he was appointed the head of sales in Austria before becoming the managing director for Fiat Austria and Switzerland. Ultimately, he became the CEO of Fiat Automobile AG and moved to Germany.
Lamborghini
Stephan Winkelmann became the president and CEO of Lamborghini in January 2005. During this period, he launched many innovative and unique models, including Murciélago, Aventador, and Huracán. There’s a reason that under his leadership, the sales of Lamborghini increased by nearly 300%. Yes, that’s right! Indeed, a record not broken for a long time.
He moved on to newer opportunities but soon returned to Lamborghini in 2020 as the head. And that too while continuing his role at Bugatti.
If all this wasn’t impressive enough, Winkelmann is also part of the supervisory boards at Comité Colbert, which is an association of French Luxury manufacturers.
Audi Sport and Bugatti
When he left Lamborghini in 2016, Winkelmann joined Audi Sport as the managing director until he became the president of Bugatti automobiles in 2018. In Bugatti, too, he has been behind the launch of many new models, including Divo, Centodieci, and La Voiture Noire, among others.
The Inspirational Journey of the CEO of Lamborghini
Stephan Winkelmann has achieved an incredible amount since he stepped into this industry. His identity is a lot more than simply the CEO of Lamborghini. Every company he has been a part of has flourished under his leadership. And this can be attributed to his willingness to think outside the box.
Remember, if you want to attain greater heights, you have to push the envelope and break barriers. Take that first step, and the world is yours to conquer!
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