Rüdiger Recknagel was born in Karlsruhe in 1963. After studying process engineering at the University of Karlsruhe, Recknagel earned his doctorate in the field of heterogeneous catalysis for a petrochemical process at the Institute of Chemical and Process Engineering in Karlsruhe.

He began his professional career in 1994 at AUDI AG in Ingolstadt as a technical coordinator in the Ingolstadt paint shop. Following various management positions in the paint shop, he was responsible for the start-up of the first environmentally friendly water-based paint line at the Ingolstadt plant in 1998.

Recknagel next headed the area of Corrosion protection in Technical Development in Ingolstadt. At the same time, he was project manager for the construction of the new Audi Corrosion Protection Center in Neustadt an der Donau. This was followed by positions as Head of Quality Assurance for the paint shop in Ingolstadt and as Head of Quality Analysis for the entire Ingolstadt site. As of 2011, Recknagel was responsible for the A4/A5/Q5 paint shop at the Ingolstadt plant. At the same time, he was involved in the planning of one of the most environmentally friendly and modern paint shops in the Group.

Rüdiger Recknagel has been Head of Environmental Protection for the Audi Group since February 2016. He is also Spokesman of the Board of Management of the Audi Environmental Foundation (Audi Stiftung für Umwelt GmbH). This consolidation of duties means that Recknagel is responsible for all facets of environmental protection at the Four Rings.