Maserati-owner names Antonio Filosa as CEO to lead turnaround

Stellantis NV appointed its Americas head Antonio Filosa as chief executive officer, relying on an experienced company insider to turn around the automaker after former boss Carlos Tavares was forced out over slumping sales and profit.

Filosa, 51, will take the helm at the maker of Jeep sport utility vehicles and Fiat cars on June 23, Stellantis said Wednesday. He was promoted to head the company’s North American operations in October as part of a broader shake-up in the waning days of Tavares’ tenure.

Filosa will have to halt a sales slide in the US, where President Donald Trump’s auto tariffs are disrupting supply chains. Stellantis is also contending with excess capacity in Europe, where deliveries remain muted as Chinese manufacturers led by BYD Co. expand in the region with competitively priced cars.

Chairman John Elkann, who has been running the automaker since Tavares’ departure in December, has tried to patch relations with dealers and reassure governments on sustaining local production. That risks making Filosa’s job even harder as demand for new cars in Europe remains muted.

In the US, refreshing Stellantis’ outdated vehicle lineup is critical to reverse a lengthy sales slide that slashed profits last year. The automaker’s shipments fell 9% in the first quarter, driven by a 20% slump in North America.

Born in Naples, Filosa rose through the ranks at Fiat Chrysler and was a protégé of late FCA boss Sergio Marchionne. He speaks English and Portuguese and recently started visiting dealers and factories in the US to improve relations there.

Stellantis, which owns 14 brands that also include Chrysler and Dodge, was forged from the 2021 merger of Italy’s Fiat Chrysler and France’s PSA Group.

Bloomberg reported earlier this month that Filosa was emerging as the leading CEO candidate. Le Figaro first reported the official announcement.