Satish Ranchod in the driver's seat at Volkswagen Group Africa

Sphumelele Khumalo 05 November 2025

Volkswagen Group Africa has announced the appointment of Satish Ranchod as its new HR director, marking a new chapter in a career that has spanned 36 years of dedicated service to the company.

Satish’s career with Volkswagen began in 1989, in Uitenhage, where he started as a graduate trainee in internal audit. Over the years, he steadily rose through the company’s HR structure, holding positions such as compensation consultant, supervisor of HR administration, and sales forecasting supervisor, employee benefits specialist, and remuneration and benefits manager.

Most recently, he served as the head of governance and head of compensation and benefits.

Academically, Satish holds a bachelor of science in information processing from Rhodes University and has completed the Volkswagen Group Junior Executive Programme at Ashridge Business School in London. He is also a certified internal auditor through the Institute of Internal Auditors.

Sphumelele Khumalo

Sphumelele Khumalo is the senior writer for CHRO South Africa. With a background in health journalism, she brings a passion for storytelling and an interest in exploring the human side of every story, one word at a time. When she’s not meeting deadlines, you might find her experimenting in the kitchen, or chasing sunsets.

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