The search for a new CEO for Stellantis, the Italian-French car manufacturer, is becoming increasingly urgent after the sudden resignation of Carlos Tavares, who left his post last Sunday. The list is narrowing on just a few names. According to what was reported by Corriere della Sera, president John Elkann has a prominent figure in mind to lead the automotive group: Luca Maestri, Apple’s outgoing financial director. His appointment, still unofficial, could represent a strategic move to take Stellantis towards new financial and technological horizons, in line with the evolution of the global automotive market. It would be a choice very similar to the one made in Ferrari with the designation of Benedetto Vigna, also coming from the world of technology. According to a Reuters source, among those eligible for the CEO seat would be Antonio Filosa, currently responsible for North American operations , and Maxime Picat, head of purchasing and supplier quality. Both have already joined the interim executive board and are considered strong internal candidates, with consolidated experiences within the group.Antonio Filosa: a veteran of StellantisFilosa, who took on the role of COO for the North American division in 2023 , has a long career behind him. Having joined Fiat way back in 1999, he held numerous roles, including head of Fiat Chrysler in Latin America and operations director for South America. In 2023, Filosa was named global head of the Jeep brand, a role he still holds today. His experience in the group, combined with his knowledge of the dynamics of the American markets, makes him a figure of reference for the future of the Stellantis group. Maxime Picat: international experience and operational leadership Maxime Picat, 50 years old, is another important name in the panorama Stellantis. As responsible for purchasing and supplier quality, Picat played a crucial role in consolidating the group’s global operations. His career began in 1998 at PSA (now Stellantis), where he held positions of increasing responsibility, including that of operations director for the Wider Europe region. He was also CEO of the Chinese joint venture DongFeng Peugeot Citroën Automobiles. Picat could bring solid international experience and a pragmatic approach to managing global operations to Stellantis. An interim executive committee chaired by Elkann Pending the official appointment of the new CEO, Stellantis has decided to establish an interim executive committee, chaired by John Elkann , president of the group. The committee will be responsible for managing day-to-day operations and directing company strategy during the transition period. In addition to Elkann, the committee will be made up of nine other executives, including Doug Ostermann, Stellantis’ new chief financial officer, and the aforementioned Filosa and Picat. Richard Palmer, former chief financial officer of Stellantis, has been appointed special advisor to the president, to serve as a sounding board for the management team. With this new structure, Stellantis aims to ensure continuity in business operations, maintaining high focus on financial and operational results, despite the change at the top. The choice of the new CEO will be crucial for the future of the group, engaged in a transformation phase that includes challenges related to electric mobility, sustainability and digitalisation. The future of Stellantis is therefore in the balance, with the board of directors committed to choosing the leader who will have to guide the automotive group in an increasingly competitive and constantly evolving global context.
