By Andreas Cremer
BERLIN (Reuters) - Volkswagen's (DE:VOWG_p) finance chief Hans Dieter Poetsch was set to become the new VW chairman as he was endorsed by the carmaker's top-level committees and ex-chairman Ferdinand Piech.
Europe's biggest carmaker has been looking for a permanent successor to Piech, who was ousted in April after clashing with Chief Executive Martin Winterkorn over strategy but still wields influence through his family holding.
One day after proposing to extend the CEO's contract by two years until the end of 2018, the supervisory board's executive and nomination committees proposed to elect Poetsch, 64, as chairman, VW said on Thursday.
"Mr Poetsch distinguishes himself by strategic foresight, profound knowledge of the auto industry and great expertise in financial markets," said Berthold Huber, VW's interim chairman.
VW's plans to appoint Poetsch, who has been the German group's finance chief since 2003, to the helm of its 20-member board were reported earlier on Thursday by Reuters.
Volkswagen's controlling parent company Porsche Automobil Holding SE (DE:PSHG_p) said Poetsch had the unequivocal support of its supervisory board - which includes Piech.