Currently reading: Magna to separate from Opel

Magna will install a "complete firewall" between its car parts and auto-making businesses

Magna will have a “complete firewall” in place between its car parts and auto-maker businesses, its co-chief executive has said.

Several companies who use Magna as a supplier, including VW, have spoken against its proposed takeover of Opel/Vauxhall due to a potential conflict of interest.

Donald Walker said he understood these fears and steps would be taken to ensure the businesses were run separately to avoid any conflict of interest, although he didn’t confirm any details.

“We do understand Magna is an auto parts company and Opel is a car company so if we complete this than we have to have a complete firewall between the two business units and that is under discussion right now,” he said.

Magna’s takeover of Opel/Vauxhall, along with Russian bank Sberbank, has yet to be formally finalised and German economy minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg has said that Opel remains at risk of insolvency until any takeover is completed.

“All of that could still happen,” he said at a business event in Berlin.

Mark Tisshaw

mark-tisshaw-autocar
Title: Editor

Mark is a journalist with more than a decade of top-level experience in the automotive industry. He first joined Autocar in 2009, having previously worked in local newspapers. He has held several roles at Autocar, including news editor, deputy editor, digital editor and his current position of editor, one he has held since 2017.

From this position he oversees all of Autocar’s content across the print magazine, autocar.co.uk website, social media, video, and podcast channels, as well as our recent launch, Autocar Business. Mark regularly interviews the very top global executives in the automotive industry, telling their stories and holding them to account, meeting them at shows and events around the world.

Mark is a Car of the Year juror, a prestigious annual award that Autocar is one of the main sponsors of. He has made media appearances on the likes of the BBC, and contributed to titles including What Car?Move Electric and Pistonheads, and has written a column for The Sun.

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