Porsche to appoint Pakistani car expert as board member

BERLIN: Luxury sportscar maker Porsche AG said on Thursday its supervisory board intends to appoint Karachi-born Sajjad Khan, a former chief technology officer at rival Mercedes-Benz, to the company’s executive board with a focus on Car-IT.

The move comes as Volkswagen-owned Porsche gears up for a market listing, foreign media reported. Khan, 48, worked for Mercedes-Benz for over six years until August 2021. He also worked for DaimlerChrysler AG as Vice President of Digital Vehicle and Mobility and also worked as BMW’s Executive Vice President. 

Most recently, he was a member of the divisional board of Mercedes-Benz Cars, and served as chief technology officer. He has also worked for BMW.

“We look forward to being able to welcome Sajjad Khan, a proven digital expert, to the Board and thereby to strengthen our IT team in a critical position,” Porsche AG executive board Chairman Oliver Blume said in a statement.

Khan, who was born in Pakistan and has German nationality, would become the eighth member of the executive board. 

No decision had been taken yet on exactly when the supervisory board will sign off on Khan’s appointment or on when he could start, Porsche added.