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Auto Blog
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Antonio Filosa Named Stellantis CEO Amid Sales Decline
Wrapping up a nearly six-month search, Stellantis has today announced the appointment of Antonio Filosa as the company's CEO, a position that has been conspicuously vacant following the unexpected resignation of founding chief executive Carlos Tavares last December. 51-year-old Filosa has been serving as COO of the Euro-American automaker's North American operation, overseeing a turnaround plan triggered by plunging sales and earnings, primarily at key brands Jeep and Ram. 'Antonio's deep understanding of our Company, including its people who he views as our core strength, and of our industry equip him perfectly for the role of Chief Executive Officer in this next and crucial phase of Stellantis' development,' said Stellantis Executive Chairman John Elkann. Filosa's North America Turnaround Sets the Stage An Italian native, Filosa has spent 25 years in the automotive industry. He's served in a variety of positions, and in a number of countries, since joining Stellantis. He initially moved to the automaker's headquarters two years ago to run the struggling Jeep division before being named chief operating officer for the Americas in 2024. He plans to appoint a new management team on June 23, according to a statement by Stellantis. In the meantime, Filosa said in a letter to employees, 'I will travel to our plants and offices around the world, where I am excited to meet and listen to many of you in-person.' His initial goal, he explained, will be 'further strengthening the bonds and trust we have with our partners – our dealers, suppliers, unions and communities – is essential and will be a focus for me in this new role.' Tavares' Departure and Boardroom Tensions Stellantis was officially created in 2021 through the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and French-based PSA, parent of Peugeot and Citroen. It immediately became one of the world's largest automakers and initially appeared to have plenty of positive momentum. But things turned south last year, especially in the U.S. market where sales tumbled sharply at Ram and Jeep, brands analyst Sam Abuelsamid, of Telemetry Research, described as the corporation's 'cash cows.' 2025 Jeep® Wagoneer L Carbide — Source: Jeep Once seen as one of the industry's most savvy CEOs, Tavares found himself taking heat for a variety of problems which he blamed on his own 'arrogance.' A turnaround strategy failed to gain the full support of the Stellantis board, leading the executive to tender his resignation. That touched off a search for a replacement, while Stellantis Chairman John Elkann filled in overseeing day-to-day operations. In his own role as COO of the Americas, Filosa was effectively second in command and was widely seen as the person to beat in the search for a new chief executive. Evaluating Stellantis' Brand Portfolio 'The company has done a number of things to move forward,' notably in the US, under Filosa, said Stephanie Brinley, principle analyst with S&P Global Mobility. Among other things, he has realigned pricing on key product lines, while rejiggering the timing of products in the automaker's pipeline. He's also addressed ongoing quality problems that have routinely seen brands like Jeep, Ram and Chrysler hover well below average, according to J.D. Power. 2025 Ram 1500 — Source: Ram That said, there are a number of challenges Filosa will face as he expands his responsibilities worldwide, said Abuelsamid. He has to continue building back sales across a portfolio of 14 separate brands. Indeed, he will need to be 'Looking at the overall brand line-up and deciding which potentially could be culled,' added Abuelsamid. 'Is it worth continuing to invest in Chrysler or Lancia or Alfa Romeo or Fiat?' Trump Tariffs Add to Industry Pressure The new Stellantis CEO will also face the challenge of trying to sort through the new tariffs on imported autos and auto parts enacted earlier this month by Pres. Donald Trump. That has thrown the entire auto industry into chaos and, at Stellantis, that could accelerate the need to address marketing and manufacturing issues left unresolved when Tavares resigned last year.
Auto Blog
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Auto Blog
Who Is Antonio Filosa? 5 Things to Know About Dodge, Jeep & RAM's New CEO
It's official After a six-month-long search that began shortly after the departure of embattled former CEO Carlos Tavares, multinational auto conglomerate Stellantis has finally found a new Chief Executive to lead the whole operation. In a statement released early on May 28, Stellantis revealed that Antonio Filosa was unanimously selected to be at the helm. They noted that they selected him based on a 'proven track record of hands-on success during his more than 25 years in the automotive industry, the depth and span of his experience around the world, his unrivalled knowledge of the Company and his recognized leadership qualities.' Antonio Filosa meeting at factory In remarks, Stellantis Executive Chairman John Elkann stated that the 51-year-old's 'deep understanding of the company' and its employees was crucial as Stellantis navigates a new chapter. 'I have worked closely with Antonio over the past six months, during which time his responsibilities have increased, and his strong and effective leadership spanning both North and South America at a moment of unprecedented challenge has confirmed the excellent qualities he brings to the role,' he said. 'Together with the entire Board, I look forward to working with him.' Once he formally takes the helm on June 23, Filosa will have a tall task of running an automaker responsible for a portfolio of 14 distinct, separate brands with origins in both Europe and the United States, as well as navigating a challenging trade environment dictated by the Trump Administration's steep tariffs in imported autos. However, there are five important things to know about Antonio Filosa, his background, and what he stands for before he took the helm of one of the world's largest automakers. Antonio Filosa, CEO of Jeep, signs a guest book as he prepares to ring the opening bell at the New York Stock Exchange during morning trading on May 31, 2024 in New York City. One: Filosa has deep roots within Stellantis and its car brands. Born in 1973 in Naples, Italy, Filosa has worn many hats within Stellantis and its many brands since joining the Fiat Group as a trainee after graduating from the Politecnico di Milano in 1999. After brief stints at some of Fiat's subsidiaries, Iveco and CNH, he returned to Fiat in 2002, where for nearly two decades, he held a series of leadership roles spanning industrial operations, manufacturing, and strategic development across North and South America. Filosa's first stint at a C-suite level position came in 2018, when he was appointed as the South American Chief Operating Officer for Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), which he retained following the 2021 merger with Peugeot that created Stellantis. Since then, his role in growing Jeep's market share in Brazil earned him the role as CEO of Jeep, which he held from November 2023 to February 2025, only to be promoted to Chief Quality Officer and Chief Operating Officer for the Americas in December 2024. Two: Filosa is known to be a 'hands-on' leader Stellantis credits Filosa's 'proven track record of hands-on success' as a core tenet of his 25-year experience within Stellantis and Fiat Chrysler, defining their decision to promote him to lead the automaker. However, this sort of leadership quality has roots before Stellantis was even established. The largest part of Filosa's 26-year career was spent in Brazil, where he was tasked with increasing responsibilities that would ultimately build the company's footprint in the country and the South American continent. Nearly a decade ago, Filosa held the plant manager position in Betim, one of the firm's largest plants. By this time, he had worked in different people-facing roles within Fiat in the country, as expressed in a 2014 Fiat Chrysler recruiting video. 'I always looked for the opportunity to work across to learn about the strategic processes. I believe this is the source of a great professional development. The great development that I had in 10 years working with Fiat. I am sure that I would not have had this opportunity in other companies,' Filosa said. 'What makes the difference here at Fiat is the motivation qnd energy of the people.' Tim Kuniskis, head of passenger cars brands with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV, speaks during a Chrysler presentation during the 2016 North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit, Michigan, U.S., Three: Filosa was instrumental in bringing back key leaders In October 2024, Filosa dropped his role as the Jeep brand CEO to become the North American Chief Operating Officer. Following the resignation of former CEO Carlos Tavares in December 2024, Filosa was called up to lead the entire Americas region as COO and join the interim executive committee led by Stellantis Chairman John Elkann. In his enhanced role as Americas COO, Filosa filled key roles in its most important regions with experienced veterans who understand the customers in key markets like North America. These included Tim Kuniskis's return from retirement as CEO of Ram Trucks and Jeff Kommor's return from his former Tavares-appointed commercial sales role to his former role as the U.S. head of sales; moves that Stellantis said would help it 'operate in a structure that will drive the best outcomes for the region, unlock significant potential, and win in the market.' 'One of my first decisions has been to bring back talents that we lost in the past,' Filosa told reporters at the Detroit Auto Show in January. 'That's why I was very happy when Kuniskis accepted the challenge to come back. I was very happy when Jeff Kommor accepted the challenge.' Four: Filosa recognizes the importance of the American auto market A massive dip in vehicle sales, the fledgling EV market, and the threat presented by the Trump administration's auto tariffs are just some of the pressing issues loaded onto Antonio Filosa's plate before taking the helm as Stellantis's leader, but he recognizes that U.S. sales are a top priority. In remarks to CNBC on the floor of the Detroit Auto Show in January, Filosa says that the re-appointment of Kuniskis and Kommor, along with reestablishing relationships with its dealers and adjusting its strategy on incentives and new products, is one part of growing its brands' sales and market share in the U.S., adding that 'U.S. retail market share is our main priority.' 'The whole point is to sell more, right? It's a very complex business but it ends with just one thing, a customer that is happy to buy our cars. We need to find more of those,' he told the Detroit Free Press at the show. Jeep Brand CEO Antonio Filosa introducing to the world to the brand's first global battery-electric vehicle (BEV) – the 2024 Jeep Wagoneer S Launch Edition. Five: Filosa believes that flexibility between EVs and gas-engine cars are key to success. In an April 2024 Automotive News interview during his tenure as Jeep CEO, he noted that a core tenet of the brand's strategy was offering a variety of different powertrain choices, including hybrid, plug-in hybrid and gas-engine options; taking lessons from failed strategy plans in Europe as an example. '[…] where we see opportunities [to add internal-combustion engine variants], pragmatically we should exploit them,' FIlosa said. 'The European market as a whole was not ready for an electric-only Avenger, thus we should have launched a gasoline version sooner in Italy, Spain and Poland. Lesson learned.' Despite saying in that same interview that the brands need to sell ICE cars before 'somebody else will,' he is optimistic of some bridge technologies that critics have dismissed as being flawed; particularly plug-in hybrids. When asked about EU data's findings about plug-in hybrids emitting more CO2 than advertised, he defended his optimism for it. 'On my side, in the U.S. I drive a Grand Cherokee 4xe. I charge it at night with a home socket and I make my 22-mile (36 km) daily commute all electric. This is simply fantastic.' Stellantis North America COO and Jeep CEO Antonio Filosa speaks during the Stellantis press conference at the Automobility LA 2024. Final thoughts Filosa and Stellantis still have a long way to go before the new CEO officially takes the helm, but given the return of Kuniskis and Kommor, he is already making those CEO-level moves. As I have also expressed with Nissan's Ivan Espinosa, it is still too early to tell what and which direction Antonio Filosa will go. We hope it is up, but only time will tell if he will get there. Let him cook.
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Stellantis goes in-house for new CEO
Stellantis has announced that its Board of Directors has unanimously selected Antonio Filosa as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO). He follows Carlos Tavares, who quit as Stellantis CEO in December 2024 after a turbulent period characterised by problems in the US market. Stellantis said the selection followed a thorough search process of internal and external candidates, undertaken by a Special Committee of the Board, led by Executive Chairman John Elkann. The board has granted him CEO powers effective June 23. The company said the board selected Antonio Filosa to be CEO based on his 'proven track record of hands-on success during his more than 25 years in the automotive industry, the depth and span of his experience around the world, his unrivalled knowledge of the company and his recognized leadership qualities'. Antonio Filosa has led Stellantis in both North and South America. The company said that during his time as Chief Operating Officer of South America, he took the FIAT brand to the market leading position and then significantly grew the Peugeot, Citroën, Ram, and Jeep brands. As a result, Stellantis increased its clear leadership in the region. Moreover, the company said his work on the creation of the Pernambuco plant, one of South America's largest automotive hubs, launched Jeep in Brazil, which quickly became the brand's leading market outside of the US. As Jeep CEO, Stellantis said Filosa expanded the brand's global presence, including in Europe with products such as the Jeep Avenger. He was most recently promoted to the role of Chief Operating Officer, Americas in December 2024. Stellantis said that since his appointment in the COO Americas role, he has initiated the strengthening of the US operations, including by 'significantly reducing excessive dealer inventory, reorganizing the leadership team, driving the process of introducing new products and powertrains, and increasing dialogue with dealers, unions and suppliers'. John Elkann will continue in his role as Executive Chairman when Antonio Filosa takes up his position as Chief Executive Officer on June 23. At that time, Antonio Filosa will also announce Stellantis' new leadership team. 'Antonio's deep understanding of our company, including its people who he views as our core strength, and of our industry equip him perfectly for the role of Chief Executive Officer in this next and crucial phase of Stellantis' development,' said Stellantis Executive Chairman John Elkann. 'I have worked closely with Antonio over the past six months during which time his responsibilities have increased, and his strong and effective leadership spanning both North and South America at a moment of unprecedented challenge have confirmed the excellent qualities he brings to the role. Together with the entire Board, I look forward to working with him.' 'We unanimously welcome Antonio's appointment as our new Chief Executive Officer,' said Stellantis Vice Chairman Robert Peugeot. 'His track record of successful leadership during his many years with our Company speaks for itself and this, together with his deep knowledge of our business and of the complex dynamics facing our industry, make him the natural choice to become Stellantis' next CEO.' 'The appointment of Antonio Filosa to lead Stellantis opens a new and important chapter for our company,' said Nicolas Dufourcq, CEO of the Banque Publique d'Investissement (Bpifrance). 'At a moment of transformation for the global automotive industry, Antonio Filosa has the knowledge, the experience, and the talent to lead Stellantis to new successes.' 'It is my great honour to be named the CEO of this fantastic company,' said Antonio Filosa. 'I am grateful to our Chairman, John Elkann, and to the members of our board for their leadership, particularly in these recent months, and for the confidence they have placed in me to lead our business during this pivotal time for our industry. I have always been inspired by the immense talent, passion and commitment of our people at Stellantis and the power of trusting our teams to achieve excellence. We have the world's best and most iconic brands in automotive history and an over 100-year heritage of innovation. That legacy, combined with our relentless dedication to giving our customers the products and services they love, will continue to be key to our success.' "Stellantis goes in-house for new CEO" was originally created and published by Just Auto, a GlobalData owned brand. The information on this site has been included in good faith for general informational purposes only. It is not intended to amount to advice on which you should rely, and we give no representation, warranty or guarantee, whether express or implied as to its accuracy or completeness. You must obtain professional or specialist advice before taking, or refraining from, any action on the basis of the content on our site. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
NDTV
3 days ago
- Automotive
- NDTV
Stellantis Appoints Antonio Filosa As The New CEO, Replaces Carlos Tavares
Stellantis has now announced that its Board of Directors has unanimously selected Antonio Filosa as its new Chief Executive Officer following a thorough search process of internal and external candidates, undertaken by a Special Committee of the Board, led by Executive Chairman John Elkann. The company will now hold an Extraordinary Shareholder Meeting, which will be called in the coming days, for Antonio Filosa to be elected to the Board to serve as an executive director of the Company. Meanwhile, to give him full authority and ensure an efficient transition, the Board has granted him CEO powers effective June 23. The brand claims that Antonio Filosa has led Stellantis in both North and South America. During his time as Chief Operating Officer of South America, he took the FIAT brand to the market leading position and then significantly grew the Peugeot, Citroen, Ram, and Jeep brands. As a result, Stellantis increased its clear leadership in the region. His work on the creation of the Pernambuco plant, one of South America's largest automotive hubs, launched Jeep in Brazil, which quickly became the brand's leading market outside of the United States. As Jeep CEO, Antonio Filosa expanded the brand's global presence, including in Europe, where its models continue to be best sellers for the Company, thanks to hugely popular products such as the Jeep Avenger. He was most recently promoted to the role of Chief Operating Officer, Americas in December 2024. Since his appointment, he has initiated the strengthening of the U.S. operations, including by significantly reducing excessive dealer inventory, reorganizing the leadership team, driving the process of introducing new products and powertrains, and increasing dialogue with dealers, unions, and suppliers. Stellantis Executive Chairman, John Elkann, said- "Antonio's deep understanding of our Company, including its people who he views as our core strength, and of our industry, equip him perfectly for the role of Chief Executive Officer in this next and crucial phase of Stellantis' development" Stellantis Vice Chairman, Robert Peugeot, quoted- "We unanimously welcome Antonio's appointment as our new Chief Executive Officer. His track record of successful leadership during his many years with our Company speaks for itself, and this, together with his deep knowledge of our business and the complex dynamics facing our industry, makes him the natural choice to become Stellantis' next CEO." Expressing his gratitude, Antonio Filosa, commented- "I am grateful to our Chairman, John Elkann, and to the members of our Board for their leadership, particularly in these recent months, and for the confidence they have placed in me to lead our business during this pivotal time for our industry. I have always been inspired by the immense talent, passion, and commitment of our people at Stellantis and the power of trusting our teams to achieve excellence. We have the world's best and most iconic brands in automotive history and an over 100-year heritage of innovation. That legacy, combined with our relentless dedication to giving our customers the products and services they love, will continue to be key to our success."
Economic Key
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Economic Key
Stellantis Appoints Antonio Filosa as New CEO After 25 Years of Leadership Experience Within the Company
Stellantis N.V. (the 'Company') announces that its Board of Directors (the 'Board') has unanimously selected Antonio Filosa as its new Chief Executive Officer following a thorough search process of internal and external candidates, undertaken by a Special Committee of the Board, led by Executive Chairman John Elkann. The Company will now hold an Extraordinary Shareholder Meeting, which will be called in the coming days, for Antonio Filosa to be elected to the Board to serve as an executive director of the Company. Meanwhile, to give him full authority and ensure an efficient transition, the Board has granted him CEO powers effective June 23. The Board selected Antonio Filosa to be CEO based on his proven track record of hands-on success during his more than 25 years in the automotive industry, the depth and span of his experience around the world, his unrivalled knowledge of the Company and his recognized leadership qualities. Antonio Filosa has led Stellantis in both North and South America. During his time as Chief Operating Officer of South America, he took the FIAT brand to the market leading position and then significantly grew the Peugeot, Citroën, Ram, and Jeep®️ brands. As a result, Stellantis increased its clear leadership in the region. His work on the creation of the Pernambuco plant, one of South America's largest automotive hubs, launched Jeep®️ in Brazil, which quickly became the brand's leading market outside of the United States. As Jeep®️ CEO, Antonio Filosa expanded the brand's global presence, including in Europe where its models continue to be best sellers for the Company thanks to hugely popular products such as the Jeep Avenger. He was most recently promoted to the role of Chief Operating Officer, Americas in December 2024. Since his appointment, he has initiated the strengthening of the U.S. operations, including by significantly reducing excessive dealer inventory, reorganizing the leadership team, driving the process of introducing new products and powertrains, and increasing dialogue with dealers, unions and suppliers. John Elkann will continue in his role as Executive Chairman when Antonio Filosa takes up his position as Chief Executive Officer on June 23. At that time, Antonio Filosa will also announce Stellantis' new leadership team. 'Antonio's deep understanding of our Company, including its people who he views as our core strength, and of our industry equip him perfectly for the role of Chief Executive Officer in this next and crucial phase of Stellantis' development,' said Stellantis Executive Chairman John Elkann. 'I have worked closely with Antonio over the past six months during which time his responsibilities have increased, and his strong and effective leadership spanning both North and South America at a moment of unprecedented challenge have confirmed the excellent qualities he brings to the role. Together with the entire Board, I look forward to working with him.' 'We unanimously welcome Antonio's appointment as our new Chief Executive Officer,' added Stellantis Vice Chairman Robert Peugeot. 'His track record of successful leadership during his many years with our Company speaks for itself and this, together with his deep knowledge of our business and of the complex dynamics facing our industry, make him the natural choice to become Stellantis' next CEO.' 'The appointment of Antonio Filosa to lead Stellantis opens a new and important chapter for our Company,' said Nicolas Dufourcq, CEO of the Banque Publique d'Investissement (Bpifrance). 'At a moment of transformation for the global automotive industry, Antonio Filosa has the knowledge, the experience, and the talent to lead Stellantis to new successes.' 'It is my great honor to be named the CEO of this fantastic Company,' said Antonio Filosa. 'I am grateful to our Chairman, John Elkann, and to the members of our Board for their leadership, particularly in these recent months, and for the confidence they have placed in me to lead our business during this pivotal time for our industry. I have always been inspired by the immense talent, passion and commitment of our people at Stellantis and the power of trusting our teams to achieve excellence. We have the world's best and most iconic brands in automotive history and an over 100-year heritage of innovation. That legacy, combined with our relentless dedication to giving our customers the products and services they love, will continue to be key to our success.' تم نسخ الرابط
