MILAN (Reuters) -Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa carried out a shake-up of the automaker’s top ranks on Wednesday, installing new chiefs for Europe and global manufacturing as he seeks to build a team capable of reviving the struggling company.
Filosa, who took the helm of the French-Italian-American company in June, is fast-tracking efforts to reverse two years of falling sales, shrinking profits and a stagnant model lineup, ahead of a strategic plan update due in the first half of 2026.
“With these new appointments we are promoting exceptional talent from inside and out to leadership roles as we prepare our business for future success,” Filosa said in a statement.
EXECUTIVE SHAKE-UP FOLLOWS NEW CFO APPOINTMENT
The new slate of appointments follows the announcement of a new CFO late last month, with Joao Laranjo, a longtime close associate of Filosa, succeeding Doug Ostermann.
On Wednesday, Stellantis said Emanuele Cappellano, the Italian head of its South American operations, was taking over as head of “Enlarged Europe and European Brands”. He replaces Jean-Philippe Imparato, who had held the role for the past year and will now focus on leading the group’s ailing luxury brand Maserati.
Cappellano will keep his role of head of the group’s commercial vehicle unit Stellantis Pro One, while Brazilian-born Herlander Zola, one of the group’s top executives in South America, will succeed him as regional chief.
In a separate statement Stellantis said Francesco Ciancia, also an Italian national, would rejoin the group on November 1 as global head of manufacturing and as a member of its leadership team. He will replace Arnaud Deboeuf, who is leaving the group.
Ciancia returns from Mercedes-Benz, where he led van operations, and brings over two decades of experience in manufacturing and plant management, including previous roles at Fiat Chrysler and Stellantis, the company said.
The new appointments also include Ralph Gilles as global head of design and Gregoire Olivier as head of the China and Asia-Pacific region.
(Reporting by Giulio Piovaccari; Editing by Muralikumar Anantharaman and Joe Bavier)
