Stellantis Evaluates Internal Candidates for CEO Position

Following the sudden resignation late Sunday of Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares due to conflicts with the board of directors and major shareholders, the company is actively seeking a successor.

According to Reuters, the board is considering internal candidates such as Antonio Filosa, head of North American operations, and Maxime Picat, supply chain manager. While evaluating internal candidates, the board is also open to assessing external candidates for the CEO position, as per the source. At this time, a Stellantis representative opted not to comment on the matter.

Maxime Picat, currently serving as the purchasing and supplier quality manager at Stellantis, has a history with the company dating back to its formation in January 2021, during which he was the operations manager for the expanded European region.

The 50-year-old French engineer began his career in 1998 at PSA, the manufacturer of Peugeot, and has held several significant positions, including the general manager of the DongFeng Peugeot Citroen Automobiles joint venture in China.

Antonio Filosa, an Italian national, has been with the company since 1999, starting his career at Fiat. Filosa has held various positions within the company, and in 2018, he was appointed head of Fiat Chrysler for the Latin America region. Prior to his current role, he served as the operations manager for Stellantis in South America. In October, during a management shake-up following a profit warning related to 2024 results, Filosa was appointed as the operations manager for Stellantis' North American operations. He also took on the role of global head of the Jeep brand in 2023, a position he continues to hold.

The search for a new CEO comes at a critical time when the automotive industry is facing challenges and transitioning to electric vehicle production.