Wayne Griffiths: Redefining automotive leadership

“Rebel with a cause” is the term often associated with the president of Seat and Cupra. A quick glance at his LinkedIn reveals that Wayne Griffiths is not your usual business leader. He’s a vehement fan of David Bowie, despises suits and ties and is almost always seen sporting jeans and a leather jacket.

In 2016, Luca de Meo, who was recently named the most influential and successful person within the global automotive industry by Autocar UK, brought Griffiths over to Seat as Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “I remember the first management meeting I attended,” Griffiths recalls, “I said ‘I know you guys think I’m just one of these German guys who will be here for a few years and go back to Audi or VW, but that is not the case.’ I knew I was here to stay, and I knew that it was my destiny.”

“This shift from combustion cars to electric cars is allowing a lot of new brands to enter the market,” he says. “When you’re going through disruption, you need to disrupt yourself or you're going to disappear.” He attributes a lot of this change to the attitudes of the next generation: “I think this generation is looking for something different. They want to drive something different than what their parents or grandparents did, something that stands for their values. The old values of prestige, tradition, status, and luxury; are all taboo. They’re looking to define themselves with contemporary values, sustainability, and emotion.”

We spoke to Wayne about transforming Audi into a global brand, launching Cupra, and much more.

Here's what we discussed:

• Could you give us an overview of your career? (01:14)
• What led you to join Seat? (05:22)
• Looking at your career, when did electrification become a priority? (07:53)
• What was the reaction to your idea of launching a new electric car brand? (11:19)
• One of the ways you are disruptive is by hiring from outside of traditional industries. Why is that important to you? (14:46)
• Why have you made it a priority to embrace Spain and Cupra's roots in the country? (18:27)
• What are your thoughts on the UK Government's delaying of the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles? (22:20)
• The Good News Postcard: If you weren't a business leader, what would you like to be your job and why? (26:19)
• What makes a great business leader? (27:15)

Thanks to Aleyna from the Jill Dando News for bringing us The Good News Postcard this week. Get your dose of positive news by visiting The Good News Post, a website collated by hundreds of young people aged 8 to 18 in the UK. They've written real-life “news that’s good for you”, covering people, animals, stories to cheer people up, and tips to make lives better.

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