Simon Elliott, currently director of Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles UK, is leaving to become managing director of Volkswagen Group Ireland.

From August Elliott will be responsible for all the VW Group brands in Ireland, taking over from Paul Willis, who is moving to a senior role with Volkswagen Group in China.

Robin Woolcock, managing director of Volkswagen Group UK said: “This is a great opportunity for Simon and I have every confidence he will take his energy, drive and humour to Ireland and make a superb impact, in the same way he has done here.

“It is obviously disappointing to lose Simon from Commercial Vehicles where he has made a significant difference to the success of the brand over the past three years.”

Elliott said: ‘I have really enjoyed the last three years with Commercial Vehicles and am really proud to have achieved record volumes and market share, grown brand awareness and leadership in customer care, and forged a fantastic relationship with everyone in our van centre network.”

Until a new director is appointed, Woolcock will take responsibility for Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles.

Elliott is a highly regarded UK motor retail executive.

While at DaimlerChrysler UK in the early 2000s he convinced Chrysler dealers of the viability of adding the Dodge brand, and was brought back to the UK from China in 2008 when relations between Chrysler UK and its dealer network soured as profitability plunged.