Europcar CEO – Sebastian Birkel (Age – 43)

Europcar Mobility Group, one of Europe’s largest car rental and mobility companies, was founded in 1949 in Paris, France. Today, Europcar CEO Sebastian Birkel leads the group’s operations spanning over 140 countries through its portfolio of brands including Europcar, Goldcar, InterRent, Fox Rent A Car, and Ubeeqo. Appointed Group Chief Executive Officer on May 1, 2025, Birkel brought extensive experience from the car rental and mobility industry, having previously served as CEO of Sixt North America and CEO of the profection Group. Europcar Mobility Group is owned by Green Mobility Holding, a consortium led by the Volkswagen Group, and reported revenue of approximately €3.4 billion in fiscal year 2024.

Read on to discover Europcar CEO email address, Sebastian Birkel net worth in 2026, salary and compensation, career history, education, and more.
Sebastian Birkel Europcar CEO
Sebastian Birkel, Group CEO of Europcar Mobility Group • Photo: Europcar Mobility Group

Sebastian Birkel – Quick Facts

Sebastian Birkel — At a Glance
Full Name Sebastian Birkel
Position Group Chief Executive Officer & Chairman of the Management Board
Company Europcar Mobility Group
Age 43 years (born November 13, 1982)
Nationality German
Net Worth (2026 est.) $3–5 Million
CEO Since May 1, 2025
Previous Role CEO, profection Group
Parent Company Green Mobility Holding (Volkswagen Group, Attestor, Pon Holdings)
Email [email protected]
Headquarters Paris (Voisins-le-Bretonneux), France

Europcar Mobility Group Competitors

Europcar Mobility Group operates in the highly competitive global car rental and mobility services industry. The key competitors of Europcar include:

  • Enterprise Holdings (Enterprise, National, Alamo) – world’s largest car rental company by revenue
  • Hertz Global Holdings (Hertz, Dollar, Thrifty) – major global car rental operator
  • Avis Budget Group (Avis, Budget, Zipcar) – global vehicle rental and mobility solutions
  • Sixt SE – German-based premium car rental and mobility provider
  • Localiza – Latin America’s largest car rental company
  • Leasys (Stellantis) – European mobility and leasing provider

Sebastian Birkel Net Worth 2026 – Europcar CEO Salary

As of 2026, Sebastian Birkel’s net worth is estimated at approximately $3–5 million USD. Birkel’s specific compensation at Europcar Mobility Group is not publicly disclosed, as the company was taken private in 2022 by the Green Mobility Holding consortium led by the Volkswagen Group. Prior to Europcar, Birkel held senior executive positions at Sixt and profection Group, where he would have accumulated significant compensation over his nearly two-decade career in management consulting and the mobility industry.

It is worth noting that CEO compensation for major European car rental companies typically ranges from €1–3 million in total annual compensation, including base salary, bonuses, and long-term incentives. Given Europcar’s status as a private company under VW Group ownership, detailed compensation breakdowns are not available in public filings.

Europcar CEO Estimated Compensation

Component Estimated Range
Base Salary €500,000–€800,000
Annual Bonus €300,000–€700,000
Long-Term Incentives €200,000–€500,000
ESTIMATED TOTAL €1M–€2M
Key Insight: As a private company under the Volkswagen Group umbrella, Europcar Mobility Group is not required to disclose executive compensation in public filings. The estimates above are based on industry benchmarks for CEOs of major European car rental companies.

Europcar Mobility Group Net Worth 2026 – Financial Summary

Europcar Mobility Group reported strong revenue growth in fiscal year 2024, with total sales of €3.41 billion, up approximately 10% from €3.10 billion in 2023. However, the company faced profitability challenges due to rising fleet costs and a deteriorating second-hand vehicle market, reporting a net loss of €256 million.

Europcar Mobility Group Financial Summary (FY2024)

Metric FY2024 FY2023 YoY Change
Revenue €3,407M €3,098M ▲ 10.0%
Net Income (Loss) (€256M) (€139M) ▼ 84.0%
Employees ~8,700
Countries Served 140+
Locations 3,500+
Parent Company Green Mobility Holding (VW Group)
Revenue Growth vs. Profitability: Europcar achieved strong 10% revenue growth in FY2024, driven primarily by volume increases. However, rising fleet costs and a deteriorating second-hand vehicle market eroded profitability, widening net losses from €139M to €256M. Sebastian Birkel’s mandate as CEO includes addressing these cost pressures.

Europcar CEO Email Address | Sebastian Birkel Contact

Below are the official contact details for Europcar Mobility Group CEO Sebastian Birkel:

Contact Information
Email Address [email protected]
LinkedIn Sebastian Birkel – CEO, Europcar Mobility Group
Corporate HQ 2 rue René Caudron, Voisins-le-Bretonneux, 78960, France
Corporate Website europcar-mobility-group.com
Press & Media Inquiries [email protected]

Career & Education – Company, University, & College

Sebastian Birkel has built a distinguished career spanning management consulting, the car rental industry, and corporate services. His career trajectory demonstrates expertise in operational turnarounds, international business expansion, and the mobility sector.

Sebastian Birkel Career Timeline

Period Role Company
2007–c. 2012 Management Consultant (Restructuring & Strategy) Roland Berger
c. 2012–2017 Various Leadership Roles (Germany) Sixt SE
c. 2017–2020 CEO, Sixt North America Sixt Rent A Car LLC
c. 2020–2022 Divisional Board Member (Global Vehicle Purchasing, Accounting & Controlling) Sixt SE
c. 2022–2025 Chief Executive Officer profection Group
May 2025–Present Group CEO & Chairman of the Management Board Europcar Mobility Group

Birkel began his career in 2007 at Roland Berger, one of the world’s leading management consulting firms, where he provided strategic support to companies undergoing restructuring. This consulting background gave him a strong foundation in corporate strategy and operational turnarounds.

He then joined Sixt SE, one of Europe’s largest car rental companies, where he spent over a decade in progressively senior roles. Most notably, Birkel led the operational development and turnaround of Sixt’s North American business for five years — serving as CEO of Sixt North America for more than three of those years. Under his leadership, the Sixt brand was successfully established in the highly competitive U.S. car rental market and grew profitably, including the strategic acquisition of Advantage Rent A Car locations at major airport hubs.

After his North American success, Birkel returned to Sixt’s global headquarters as a divisional board member, taking on responsibility for global vehicle purchasing as well as Group accounting and controlling.

Before joining Europcar, Birkel served as CEO of profection Group, an international personnel and property services provider with over 30,000 employees, further demonstrating his ability to lead large, complex organizations.

Education

While detailed information about Sebastian Birkel’s educational background has not been widely publicized, his career trajectory beginning at Roland Berger — one of the most prestigious management consulting firms globally — suggests a strong academic foundation in business, economics, or engineering from a top German university.

Europcar Mobility Group Headquarters in Paris
Europcar Mobility Group headquarters in Paris, France • Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Sebastian Birkel Wiki – Age, Family, & More

Europcar CEO Sebastian Birkel (age 43) was born on November 13, 1982, in Germany. He keeps his personal and family life private, and details about his spouse and children are not publicly available. Birkel is known for his hands-on, results-driven management style — a trait that was evident during his time at Sixt North America, where he once described his approach as a “do it” mentality rather than purely strategizing.

Notable Achievements & Key Facts

  • Sixt North America Turnaround – Successfully established the Sixt brand in the U.S. market and grew it profitably, making it the 4th largest car rental operator in the U.S. by revenue by 2018
  • Youngest Europcar Group CEO – At 42, Birkel was among the youngest leaders to helm a major European car rental group when appointed
  • profection Group Scale – Led an international company with over 30,000 employees as CEO
  • Roland Berger Alumni – Trained at one of Europe’s most prestigious management consulting firms
  • Fourth Europcar CEO Since VW Acquisition – Following Peter Gowers, Alain Favey, and interim CEO Olivier Baldassari since the 2022 acquisition

Europcar CEO History (2022–Present)

Since the Volkswagen Group-led acquisition in July 2022, Europcar Mobility Group has experienced significant leadership transitions:

CEO Tenure Focus
Peter Gowers Jun 2022 – May 2023 Post-acquisition integration; record financial year
Alain Favey Jun 2023 – Early 2025 VW Group alignment; EXCEED strategic plan
Olivier Baldassari (Interim) Early 2025 – Apr 2025 Operational continuity as COO/Interim CEO
Sebastian Birkel May 2025 – Present Operational turnaround & profitability

About Europcar Mobility Group

Europcar Mobility Group is a French car rental and mobility services company founded in 1949 in Paris. Since July 2022, it has been owned by Green Mobility Holding S.A., a consortium led by the Volkswagen Group, with Attestor and Pon Holdings as co-investors. The company operates through the following brands:

Brand Segment Description
Europcar Premium Car Rental Flagship brand; premium car rental across 140+ countries
Goldcar Low-Cost Car Rental Budget-friendly car rental, strong in Southern Europe
InterRent Value Car Rental Mid-range value brand for price-conscious travelers
Fox Rent A Car U.S. Car Rental U.S.-focused car rental brand
Ubeeqo Car Sharing Digital car-sharing and urban mobility solutions

Europcar Mobility Group operates in over 140 countries through a network of 3,500+ locations, including direct operations, franchisees, and agent partnerships. The company employs approximately 8,700 people and reported revenue of €3.4 billion in fiscal year 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Who is the current CEO of Europcar?

The current CEO of Europcar Mobility Group is Sebastian Birkel, who was appointed Group Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Management Board effective May 1, 2025. He succeeded Olivier Baldassari, who had served as interim CEO following the departure of Alain Favey.

What is Sebastian Birkel’s net worth in 2026?

As of 2026, Sebastian Birkel’s net worth is estimated at $3–5 million USD. His exact compensation at Europcar is not publicly disclosed, as the company is privately held under the Volkswagen Group’s Green Mobility Holding consortium.

Who owns Europcar Mobility Group?

Europcar Mobility Group is owned by Green Mobility Holding S.A., a consortium led by the Volkswagen Group along with Attestor and Pon Holdings. The consortium completed the acquisition of Europcar in July 2022.

What brands does Europcar Mobility Group operate?

Europcar Mobility Group operates five main brands: Europcar (premium car rental), Goldcar (low-cost), InterRent (value), Fox Rent A Car (U.S. market), and Ubeeqo (car sharing). Together, these brands serve customers in over 140 countries through 3,500+ locations.

What did Sebastian Birkel do before Europcar?

Before becoming Europcar CEO, Sebastian Birkel was CEO of profection Group, an international personnel and property services provider with over 30,000 employees. Prior to that, he spent over a decade at Sixt SE, including serving as CEO of Sixt North America, where he led the brand’s successful expansion into the U.S. market. He began his career at Roland Berger as a management consultant specializing in restructuring.

Article last updated:February 2026March 3, 2026

Disclaimer: All information presented in this article has been compiled from publicly available sources, including corporate press releases, BusinessWire announcements, and reputable news outlets. This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or investment advice. Net worth and salary figures are estimates based on industry benchmarks, as Europcar is a privately held company.