Interview: Marco Philippi, Chief Procurement Strategist, Volkswagen AG

Volkswagen is gearing up for the largest product and technology offensive in the brand's history. The new modular electric drive kit (MEB) underlying the compact all-electric VW I.D. demands a fresh approach, and at the heart of its preparations are supplier agreements.

Notably, the OEM is embarking on a new type of cooperation with its partners, involving top suppliers more intensively and at an earlier stage in development work on the I.D. project. More than 100 suppliers have been nominated within the framework of VW's electric offensive. 100 weeks before the launch of the first I.D. family model, the brand board of management agreed on milestones with key suppliers at the MEB Supplier Summit. Marco Philippi, Chief Procurement Strategist at Volkswagen AG, believes a strategy of co-creation is pivotal to success.