David Kelleher, president of David Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram in Glen Mills, Pennsylvania, said he is optimistic about the new leadership in North America, although there remains some concern. In recent weeks, Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis who will leave his position in early 2026 when his contract expires, has announced several changes in his brands, including the CEO of Alfa Romeo and Maserati, among many others. Among these is also the position of Chief Operating Officer for North America, assigned to Antonio Filosa, who is also CEO of Jeep.
Stellantis dealers in North America are optimistic about the leadership change, but concern remains
“He’s a dynamic guy, and no coincidence, he was originally hired by Sergio, who was notorious for his acumen in choosing personnel,” said Kelleher, referring to Sergio Marchionne, the late CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. “He spent a great deal of time with us, which is something we haven’t had from the previous COOs. There’s a sense of enthusiasm we can get things on the right track,” he added.
Stellantis has started 2024 on the wrong foot and is getting negative results one after another. The latest sales data for the third quarter of 2024 in the United States and September 2024 in Europe are not encouraging. According to Kelleher, Filosa will need time before he can implement the change that dealers need.
“He’s a terrific guy, a very, very, very intelligent guy. The people around him love him,” Kelleher said referring to Filosa. “He’ll serve us well if he’s allowed to do what he knows he needs to do.” He also added that the transition to electric shouldn’t be a primary objective at the moment, as “right now we need to deal with the practical aspect as well.”
In the United States, other manufacturers have taken a more cautious approach toward electric cars, while Stellantis prepares to launch several new electric models such as the Dodge Charger Daytona and the Jeep Wagoneer S. At the beginning of 2024, the Fiat 500e also made its debut in the country, which has so far achieved poor results. According to Kelleher, Americans are not ready to embrace the transition to electric vehicles.