The new Renault Group CEO, François Provost, is reshaping the automaker’s executive team, appointing a new CEO for the Dacia brand, a new chief technology officer (CTO), and establishing the position of chief growth officer (CGO).
Katrin Adt, a 25-year veteran of Daimler and Mercedes-Benz, is the new CEO of Dacia, replacing Denis Le Vot, who is leaving Renault Group, Renault announced today.
Philippe Brunet, currently head of EV and powertrain engineering at Renault’s Ampere subsidiary, becomes CTO, succeeding Philippe Krief, who will remain head of the Alpine sports car and racing division and concentrate on the development of the sporty branch of the group.
Fabrice Cambolive, now CEO of Renault Brand, receives expanded responsibilities in the new position of chief growth officer. Adt, as head of Dacia, will report to him. Cambolive will also oversee international development, with a focus on India, Latin America, and South Korea.
A Mercedes veteran to be CEO of Dacia
Adt was most recently the Vice President of Corporate Audit at Mercedes-Benz Group, a position she held starting in 2023. She joined DaimlerChrysler in 1999 at the Belgium/Luxembourg unit, where she held management positions until 2006.
She then moved to the larger Daimler group as an executive in distribution and sales. In 2014, Adt became a human resources executive at Mercedes-Benz and was named head of the Smart division in 2018. In 2019, she became vice president of retail in Europe.
Adt’s move from Mercedes to Renault is the most unexpected in the whole reshuffle. Undoubtedly, it has to do with the sudden leave of Denis Le Vot at the head of Dacia.
Denis Le Vot, who was one of the favourites to become CEO of the entire Group and was one of the architects of Renault’s low-cost subsidiary’s success, apparently hasn’t taken it very well that Provost was preferred to him at the end of July and has chosen to leave the company.
CTO and CGO
Brunet began his Renault career in 1998, working on the Formula One team, specifically with the V-10 engine. He was then chief engineer of the Renault-Nissan Alliance’s first diesel engine, and worked on powertrain software for the Renault Group.
He was named head of all powertrain engineering for the alliance in 2018, a position he also held at Renault Group. He joined the Ampere unit in 2023 when it was spun off into a stand-alone business unit.
Cambolive joined Renault Group in 1992 and held international sales positions in Spain, Switzerland, France, Germany, and Romania. In 2011, he was appointed Vice President, Sales and Marketing, for Russia and Eurasia.
He was appointed CEO of Renault Brazil in 2015. Cambolive was promoted to head of the Africa, Middle East, India, and Pacific region in 2017. He became head of sales and operations for the Renault brand in 2021 and, in May 2022, became chief operating officer. He was promoted to CEO of the Renault brand, a new position for the group, in 2023.
Other changes
François Provost, who was named CEO on July 30 following Luca de Meo’s departure for the luxury group Kering, also announced other appointments on September 1.
Anthony Plouvier, currently Vice President of Procurement Strategy and Transformation, will assume the role of Chief Procurement Officer, a position previously held by Provost.
Claire Fanget becomes the group’s Chief People and Organization Officer, succeeding Bruno Laforge, who is leaving Renault. Fanget is currently head of human resources for the Renault brand. Christian Stein, Chief Communications Officer, joins the group’s leadership team.
François Provost will continue to oversee partnerships and public affairs himself. Following the changes announced on September 1, the Renault Group’s leadership team will comprise 17 members, led by CEO Provost.
