Porsche Legend Frank-Steffen Walliser To Lead Bentley As New CEO

Someone new will be taking over as CEO of Bentley shortly. The company issued a statement on Tuesday, announcing Frank-Steffen Walliser as the new CEO, effective July 1. He takes over for Adrian Hallmark, who departed abruptly in March to join Aston Martin.

Anyone familiar with Porsche or hypercars will know Walliser as a living legend. After serving in several capacities at Porsche, including as director of the business's racing branch, he joined the company in 1995. In 2010, Porsche appointed Dr. Walliser as the project leader for the 918 Spyder hypercar.

Moreover, he possesses a doctorate degree in mechanical engineering. In a statement, Walliser expressed his admiration for the position and his anticipation of working with a Crewe squad that has shown outstanding achievement in recent years. "The continuing transformation of the automotive industry will be a major task for Bentley as well, a task that I am happy to take on with the team. I am convinced Bentley will continue to set standards in the luxury segment in the future.”

Walliser is clearly an expert when it comes to producing quick cars. After joining Porsche in 2019 as manager of the 911 and 718 lines, he is leaving in 2022 to take over as head of overall vehicle development. The unveiling of the first electric Porsche 911 coincides with Walliser's comment. With its new 3.6-liter flat-six engine and integrated electric motor, the 2025 911 Carrera GTS Hybrid can produce 532 horsepower with a weight increase of only 103 pounds.

Audi CEO Gernot Dollner and head of Volkswagen's Brand Progressive Group, which includes Bentley, described Frank-Steffen Walliser as an "experienced engineer with distinct product and technology expertise and entrepreneurial experience who brought brand-defining models to the streets at Porsche, including the Porsche 918 Spyder. Frank-Steffen Walliser’s many years of experience and knowledge of the luxury segment will be invaluable.”