After months of speculation, we can confirm that one of Volkswagen Group’s star executives has decided to call it quits. Dr. Wolfgang Bernhard, VW Chairman and Management board member, will leave the Company by mutual agreement at the end of this month as part of the continuing shake up of the German giant’s senior staff.

It was suggested that Bernhard originally considered leaving the company after former CEO Bernd Pischetsrieder was given the shove and replaced with Audi Boss Martin Winterkorn. Relations between Bernhard and Winterkorn at the time were said to be at an all time low.

Bernhard will surely be missed at VW. The star recruit was responsible for delivering a forecasted $9 billion in gross earnings improvements for the group by 2008 and was originally handpicked by Pischetsrieder.