Bloomberg reported on Sunday that car manufacturing group Stellantis is planning another management shake-up after CEO Carlos Tavares’s sudden ousting at the end of last year. According to people who are familiar with the matter, CSO Yves Bonnefont and Peugeot CEO Linda Jackson are losing their positions. Stellantis confirmed that a few hours ago.
In recent months, one has to move quickly when interviewing top management at Stellantis if one wants the interview to be valid on the publication date.
Last month, we interviewed some of Stellantis’s top brass who had come to the Brussels Motor Show. One of the three interviewees, Peugeot CEO Linda Jackson, is already changing places again.
‘Targeted management changes’
Chief Software Officer Yves Bonnefont is stepping down from his role. Considered a Tavares protégé, Bonnefont has been in charge of the group’s software business. Unfortunately, that was responsible for delays to key new models in the US and Europe, including the all-electric Ram pickup truck.
Chief Engineering and Technology Officer Ned Curic will oversee software in the future as part of operations streamlining. Software activities are now integrated into a Product Development & Technology organization led by Ned Curic.
Peugeot CEO Linda Jackson came over from leading the Citroën brand in 2021. She has been in charge of the Peugeot brand for the last three years but is now also losing her role there. She is replaced by Alain Favey, who joins Stellantis and comes from Europcar Mobility Group.
Just hours ago, Stellantis released its press release, adding other changes. “In addition to his current role as America’s Regions COO, Antonio Filosa takes on the global leadership of Quality. Corporate Affairs and Communications are combined to better support the Company’s constant engagement with all its stakeholders, led by Clara Ingen-Housz. A new Marketing Office has been created, led by Olivier François, to regroup the brand marketers to support the brands better, particularly through its advertising, global events, and sponsorships.”
Additional leadership changes include Bob Broderdorf’s appointment to lead the Jeep brand, Xavier Peugeot’s appointment to lead the DS Automobiles brand, and Anne Abboud’s appointment to lead the Stellantis Pro One commercial vehicles unit.
Looking for a new CEO
These new moves mark another change in direction for the post-Tavares era. The charismatic CEO was pushed out in December after sagging sales soured investors, and relentless cost-cutting upset politicians. The group is still searching for his replacement.
Stellantis board chairman and Agnelli heir John Elkann has been taking over management. He appointed a new interim executive committee and reshuffled the top management a second time after Tavares had already done so a few months earlier.
He also rehired former CFO Richard Palmer as a ‘special advisor’ to the chairman and a ‘sounding board’ to the leadership team. Tavares replaced Palmer as Stellantis CFO in the summer of 2023 by Natalie Knight, who had come in from global food retailer Ahold Delhaize. Doug Ostermann replaced her in October 2024.
Chairman John Elkann, who heads the 10-member executive committee, has tried to patch relations with dealers and governments in the weeks after Tavares’ ouster.
The manufacturer is currently rushing to bolster its offering of hybrid vehicles. Richard Palmer works closely with Elkann to determine the group’s shortcomings and who may be best placed to tackle them as CEO.

Rumors have it that Elkann has been thinking of the current Renault boss, Luca de Meo, to turn around his group as he has recently shown big successes in saving Stellantis’ biggest French competitor, Renault, from a hazardous situation.
According to these rumors, de Meo has politely refused. An increasing number of people think that Richard Palmer would be the perfect man to succeed Tavares as the new CEO of Stellantis.
John Elkann wants the company on the path of recovery before selecting a new chief executive. The appointment is expected in the second quarter of the year, although the timing could still change.
Stellantis has recently announced investments in Italy and the US, where the automaker plans to produce a new midsize pickup. Days after Elkann met with President Donald Trump, the company recommitted to building the truck at an idled plant in Belvidere, Illinois, and bringing back 1,500 union workers.
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