20-04-2025
Scout hires former Bentley exec as COO, names new production boss
Scout Motors has bolstered its leadership ranks by hiring one veteran Volkswagen Group executive for the newly created role of COO and elevated another to be its production boss.
Jan-Henrik Lafrentz joined Scout as COO on April 1. He was previously Bentley Motors' board member for finance and information technology. The British ultraluxury brand in February said Lafrentz was departing for a new position within the VW Group.
Lafrentz joined VW Group in 1994 and has held finance, sales and marketing roles at Audi, Seat, MAN heavy trucks and Bentley.
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Scout said its new COO role will support the company's growth and ambitions as it transitions from EV startup to full-scale operations.
'His deep expertise in automotive finance and operations and his proven leadership will be key as we grow our company and scale our business,' Scout said in an email.
In October, Scout revealed its two initial vehicles, the Terra pickup and Traveler SUV, designed and engineered specifically for the U.S., where VW Group has longed for a greater market presence.
Lafrentz is based in Columbia, S.C., near where Scout is constructing a $2 billion assembly plant in Blythewood, S.C. He will also spend a substantial amount of time at Scout's R&D center in the Detroit area, a Scout spokesperson said.
Scout CFO Chris Condon will report to Lafrentz, the company said.
Scout also named Oliver Wollinsky chief production officer. Wollinsky, previously Scout's vice president of production, takes over for Jan Spies, who died in January.
Scout broke ground on the assembly plant in February 2024. Output at the Scout Motors Production Center is set to begin in 2027.
Wollinsky joined Scout in 2024 after serving as plant manager for the SAIC-Volkswagen joint venture in China. Scout said Wollinsky oversaw the construction of two manufacturing facilities and helped develop VW Group's first EV exclusive production site. Wollinsky also held production roles with Mercedes-Benz.
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