Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
Volkswagen’s chief marketing officer for the Chinese market, Jochen Sengpiehl, has been expelled from China after being detained for drug use during a vacation in Thailand.
Sengpiehl was held for over ten days following a drug test that revealed traces of cannabis upon his return to Beijing from Thailand, where cannabis is legal — the German publication Bild reported on Monday.
Despite this, China’s strict anti-drug laws apply to foreign consumption, leading to his detention and eventual expulsion.
According to BILD, the executive underwent a drug test in Beijing, where Chinese authorities confirmed his cannabis use. After hours of interrogation, Sengpiehl was taken to the prison where he remained for more than ten days.
In China, the executive was responsible for Product Strategy, Product Design, Innovation Management, Product Marketing and Marketing.
Sengpiehl had a long career in automotive marketing, previously serving as Volkswagen’s Global Chief Marketing Officer from September 2017 to July 2022.
From late 2014 until 2017, the executive was Senior vice president and Chief Marketing Officer of Hyundai Motor Europe.
Written by Cláudio Afonso | LinkedIn | X
