Dr Katharina Swinka

Katharina Swinka is a driver of secure, data-driven transformation within Volkswagen Group’s engineering IT landscape. With a PhD in physics and a strong background in semiconductor research, she began her career in technical development, where she held various roles in acoustics, led a system house responsible for operating the engineering shopfloor, and contributed to cross-functional transformation programs. Between 2021 and 2025, she led Shopfloor IT and IT Security within Volkswagen’s Technical Development, where she established foundational systems for secure IT operations and supported the integration of AI-based services into engineering workflows. Since 2025, she has been part of Group IT, where she continues to push the integration of AI tools and secure IT services into the engineering landscape. Her current focus lies in the provisioning of software packages for vehicles and the strategic evolution of Volkswagen’s engineering IT architecture—enabling a platform-based, data- and AI-driven product development environment. As a certified agile leader and mentor, she combines deep technical expertise with strategic foresight, making her a key contributor to Volkswagen’s digital transformation journey.