In an effort to regain its lost North American market share, leading automaker Stellantis has implemented substantial changes to its leadership team. The company has recently appointed new executives to key positions within the North American market, including a new Chief Operating Officer (COO), as well as new Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) for Jeep, Dodge, and Ram, and a fresh marketing lead.
During a presentation on June 13, Carlos Zarlenga, who was appointed COO of North America in February, emphasized the significance of the new hires in driving the company’s turnaround efforts. He highlighted the expansion of the sales team and the addition of more customer-facing resources. Zarlenga expressed enthusiasm for the recent appointment of Rajoielle Register as the senior vice president of marketing for Stellantis North America, expressing confidence that her leadership will pave the way for the implementation of transformational strategies that will have a substantial impact on the company’s performance.
In connection with Register’s appointment, Stellantis also restructured its marketing, social and digital media, website, analytics, and paid media operations. This reorganization aimed to facilitate centralized decision-making in support of a results-driven culture, as stated in a press release issued by the company.
However, despite the recent changes, Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares acknowledged that there are still two crucial positions that the company aims to fill in North America. Tavares reiterated the company’s commitment to bolstering its talent pool in the region in order to effectively compete and thrive in the market.
The recent executive changes in North America are as follows:
– Rajoielle Register, Senior VP Marketing, Stellantis North America (effective June 4)
– Chris Feuell, Ram and Chrysler Brand CEO (effective June 1)
– Matt McAlear, Dodge Brand CEO (effective June 1)
– Carlos Zarlenga, North America COO (effective February 1)
– Antonio Filosa, Jeep Brand CEO (effective November 2023)
Additionally, Stellantis has seen the departure of several executives from their roles, including Timothy Kuniskis, former Ram and Dodge Brand CEO, Jim Morrison, former Head of Jeep Performance Parts, Jason Stoicevich, former SVP of U.S. Retail Sales, Berta Rodriguez-Hervas, former VP of Artificial Intelligence, Algorithms, and ML Ops, and Mark Stewart, former North America COO, and Christian Meunier, former Jeep Brand CEO.
Stellantis has also recently made changes to its global leadership team, with the appointments of Luca Napolitano as Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, Olivier Bourges as Chief Customer Experience Officer, and Clara Ingen-Housz as Head of the Global Corporate Office and Public Affairs. Bourges replaced Richard Schwarzwald, the former Chief Customer Experience Officer, who resigned in May.
The significant reshuffling of key positions within the company reflects Stellantis’ determination to revitalize its presence in the North American market. With a new team of leaders at the helm, the company is poised to execute strategic initiatives that will bolster its competitive position and drive growth in the region.