Let's gossip together! Volkswagen China's Chief Marketing Officer and Head of Product Strategy, Jochen Sengpiehl, was deported by the Chinese government and permanently banned from re-entering after testing positive for marijuana. The incident stemmed from a routine drug test when Sengpiehl returned to Beijing from a vacation in Thailand, which revealed marijuana in his system. While marijuana is no longer a criminal offense in Thailand and has been legal in Germany since 2023, any form of marijuana use is illegal in China. Sengpiehl was detained for over 10 days before being released.

As a seasoned expert in marketing, Sengpiehl has worked for several internationally renowned brands, including Nissan, DaimlerChrysler, and Hyundai. He not only created Volkswagen's famous slogan "Das Auto" but was also a key figure in the company's battle against local competitors like BYD in the Chinese market. BYD surpassed Volkswagen in 2023 to become the leader in the Chinese market, making Sengpiehl's role particularly crucial.