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Futuro Antico. Interview with Benita von Maltzahn
May 30, 2024
Marco Bassan
Leading Volkswagen Group’s cultural engagement efforts, Benita von Maltzahn shares the company’s commitment to supporting the arts.
What vision of the future guides your daily choices?
I like to imagine our future world as a respectful, vibrant, and hopeful place. Humanity can and must do better to ensure such an environment continues to exist for future generations. When it comes to my work, I believe that inspiration and communication are essential as we move forward into the future. Our support goes to projects that promote culture and the arts and help bring people closer together.
How do you define complexity, and how do you deal with uncertainty?
We can face complexity and uncertainty through strategic resilience. To be truly resilient, we must think globally but act regionally. The Volkswagen Group is strong in Europe and China, and we want to maintain that strength. At the same time, we see significant growth potential in the United States and are also looking to India to establish a much stronger position in this evolving world.
Can art and culture serve as tools to foster innovation and brand development within a company?
Absolutely. Innovation follows creativity, which means that creative practice is essential to opening the next chapter. Cultural experiences and the work of artists help us connect with creative perspectives and unlock our own creative potential. They bring us to a place where we can think outside the box and arrive at a new understanding of the bigger picture.
This process is primarily driven by the sharing of ideas, active listening, and an openness to new input. In this way, we learn to work better as a team — which is essential for transformation. For these reasons, the Volkswagen Group is deeply committed to supporting culture and the arts, and we focus our efforts on projects that allow as many people as possible to access and enjoy creative work.
Our program “Volkswagen Group Art4All”, which takes place for example at Hamburger Bahnhof – Nationalgalerie der Gegenwart and the Neue Nationalgalerie in Berlin, is widely appreciated, and we are proud that so many people can benefit from free admission and specially curated programs.
What are the main challenges your company is currently facing?
The Volkswagen Group is amid a major transformation. In recent years, our industry has changed radically — and so have we. One thing is clear: the future is electric. But we must remain flexible along this path. Right now, we are pushing forward with electrification, hybridization, and digitalization, while also continuing to update our efficient internal combustion engine models. This flexibility is essential for us now and will remain so in the future.
A key part of this strategy is our commitment to sustainable mobility. We recently introduced “regenerate+” – our new sustainability strategy. As pioneers of future mobility, we recognize our responsibility to make a positive contribution to both nature and society – this is our mission and our goal.
What advice would you give to a young person just starting out?
Be open and take every opportunity to create. In almost every aspect of life, we are simply better when we work together. Each time you connect with an idea, a person, or a group – whether in person or digitally, temporarily or for the long term – it might become the starting point for the journey of your life. Stay tolerant, seek inspiration, and allow your personality to grow.