Eurostars Index:
| It is always one of the grandest events surrounding the Frankfurt auto show: Automotive News Europe's annual Eurostars dinner. The industry's top executives for the year, as selected by the publication's staff, received their 2009 Eurostar trophies at the Schlosshotel Kronberg outside Frankfurt. |
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| Walter De' Silva's design responsibility embraces an empire of brands: Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Lamborghini, Seat, Skoda and Volkswagen. But de' Silva, 58, is particularly proud of the smallest vehicle among his most recent creations: the new VW Polo. Says de' Silva: "The new Polo is a simple and honest shape -- and designing simplicity is much more difficult than overdesign with decoration." |
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| Opel badly needed a boost in the European executive sedan segment and, as vehicle line director for the Insignia program, Andreas Haefele delivered that and more. The Insignia is not only on track to meet its sales target, it's also the European 2009 Car of the Year winner and has set Opel on a path to launching more stylish vehicles. |
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| As Magna International Inc.'s COO in charge of vehicles and powertrain, Herbert Demel also steers Magna Steyr, Europe's largest contract manufacturer, the new term for coachbuilder. Demel, 55, has secured new contracts to keep Magna Steyr busy for years, building the Aston Martin Rapide sedan, Mini's first crossover, Peugeot's 308 coupe and the next generations of the Porsche Boxster and Cayman. |
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| When Quemard took over purchasing at PSA/Peugeot-Citroen in January 2008, then-CEO Christian Streiff ordered him to cut the French carmaker's annual purchasing budget by 6 percent. Then the financial crisis hit in the second half of 2008. |
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| Sviggum, Ford of Europe's head of marketing, sales and service, had to launch two key models, the Fiesta and Ka, in a terrible market. Aided by Sviggum's creative marketing and sales strategy, the Ka and Fiesta have helped Ford record six straight months of market share increases. |
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| Last year was a year of records for Volkswagen AG. The group sold a record 6.3 million vehicles and posted a record operating profit. Financial analysts say VW is in much better shape this year than its European rivals. Hans Dieter Poetsch, 58, was the steady hand during the year, guiding VW during the economic storm by managing the company's finances carefully. |
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| Audi CEO Rupert Stadler knew that 2008 and 2009 would be good years because of the crucial decisions he and the team made earlier in the decade. Now Audi is enjoying the results. |
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| The 2009 Eurostars stand out because they have succeeded while their competitors stumbled. This year's winners have earned their awards by taking risks and refusing to fail. No auto executive has shown more courage than Fiat S.p.A. CEO Sergio Marchionne, who now leads Chrysler after pulling off the year's biggest automotive deal so far. |
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| In the last 12 months, European auto markets fell, rebounded on government incentives and were rocked by corporate collapses. Sifting through the chaos, the editors of Automotive News Europe, our online sister publication, have chosen the following individuals as 2009 Eurostars. |
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