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Ferdinand Karl Piëch was an Austrian business magnate, engineer, and executive who held the positions of chairman of the executive board (Vorstandsvorsitzender) of the Volkswagen Group from 1993 to 2002, and chairman of the supervisory board (Aufsichtsratsvorsitzender) from 2002 to 2015. Piëch was pivotal in the advancement of technologies such as the TDI engine and the Quattro all-wheel-drive system, both of which played crucial roles in Volkswagen's success in the automotive industry. His enduring legacy as one of Germany's most respected engineers is underscored by his influence on the development of the MQB platform. A grandson of Ferdinand Porsche, Piëch began his career at Porsche before moving to Audi, following an agreement that no member of the Porsche or Piëch families would be directly involved in Porsche's daily operations. At Audi, Piëch was instrumental in transforming the brand into a formidable competitor to Mercedes-Benz and BMW, thanks to groundbreaking models like the Audi Quattro and the Audi 100. Trained as an engineer, Piëch had a profound impact on the design and engineering of several iconic vehicles, including the Porsche 911, Porsche 917, Audi Quattro, and most notably the Bugatti Veyron, which, as of 2012, held the title of the fastest, most powerful, and most expensive road-legal car ever produced. Due to his significant contributions to the automotive industry, Piëch was named "Car Executive of the Century" in 1999 and was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2014. Although Volkswagen's policy required Piëch to retire at the age of 65, he remained on the Supervisory Board and continued to shape the company's strategic direction until his resignation on 25 April 2015. He served during the Volkswagen emissions scandal. Though not personally implicated, it was widely recognized that he "presided over the culture that allowed [the defeat devices] to be installed."