Carlos Tavares unexpectedly resigned from his position at the helm of Stellantis after four tumultuous years last December, with one year left on his contract. It took the company about six months to find his replacement, eventually appointing Antonio Filosa at the end of last month to lead the automotive conglomerate and its 14 car brands. Hailing from Naples, this Italian executive holds two roles, continuing to hold his position as head of North America and the American Brands. Filosa is currently reviewing Stellantis’ long-term strategy “Dare Forward 2030” to determine if adjustments are needed. Before making any significant decisions, he asked employees to stop identifying themselves as former Fiat Chrysler Automobiles or Peugeot Citroën staff. As a reminder, the FCA-PSA merger was completed in early 2021. Instead, the new CEO wants around 250,000 employees to embrace a unified identity: “We are Stellantis.”
This approach makes sense. After all, four years have passed since the massive merger. With a new CEO and leadership team, Stellantis aims to move forward and not dwell on the past. According to Automotive News, Filosa told employees that they are free to “speak and be heard,” emphasizing that he does not intend to be a stay-at-home CEO. The former Jeep boss also believes that past mistakes can be rectified: “There is nothing wrong at Stellantis that cannot be fixed with what is right at Stellantis.” The company has dismissed rumors of the troubled luxury Maserati brand’s release and signaled ongoing commitment to many of its subsidiaries. Meanwhile, on the other hand, Chrysler also seems to have a future.
Regarding Maserati, some of its employees may soon work more closely with Alfa Romeo employees. Santo Ficili, the CEO of both Italian brands, has recently hinted at deeper collaboration between the two. Staying in Italy, the relaunch of Lancia did not go as smoothly as hoped, while Abarth’s shift from combustion engines to electric cars may prove risky. All in all, Filosa has a daunting task as he manages a vast portfolio of brands, some of which are in dire need of revitalization. Whether Stellantis can emulate the success of the Volkswagen Group remains uncertain.
The current challenges are far more complex than the era that helped VAG become a global force. Increased competition from China, tighter regulations, and rising production costs are just a few of the obstacles facing old-school car manufacturers today.
