Stellantis Leadership Shake-Up
Stellantis Names New Jeep and Ram CEOs in Overhaul for North American Growth
Anonymous
Key Points
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Tim Kuniskis will step back from direct Ram management as part of Antonio Filosa's North American leadership overhaul, reshaping the leadership tower for Stellantis' U.S. profit engines.
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Ram and Jeep CEOs will report to Kuniskis under the broader restructuring, a step aligned with Filosa’s push to stabilize the brands that drive Stellantis’ U.S. sales and profits.
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Vehicle-level performance context accompanying the appointments shows Ram outpacing with a Q2 rise of 14.0% in total pickup sales and roughly 20% higher in the first half, while Jeep’s Q2 sales declined about 5% with the Grand Wagoneer up 43% in retail.
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Branden Coté brings two decades of OEM and dealer-retail leadership to Jeep, most recently serving as AutoNation Brand President; ранее held roles at Aston Martin Lagonda, Canoo, and Mercedes-AMG/Mercedes-Benz USA.
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Bob Broderdorf will be on medical leave and is set to assume a new leadership role within Stellantis upon his return, continuing the company’s long-term leadership realignment.
Stellantis has named Matt VanDyke as CEO of Ram and Branden Coté as CEO of Jeep, shaking up leadership at the two brands that power the automaker's U.S. business. VanDyke's appointment is effective July 20, while Coté takes over Jeep on August 3, according to Business Insider.
The moves come as CEO Antonio Filosa continues a broad overhaul of Stellantis's North American operation. The outgoing leaders — Tim Kuniskis at Ram and Bob Broderdorf at Jeep — will shift to new roles, with Broderdorf currently on medical leave, TT News reported.
Filosa's Push to Stabilize America's Top Two Brands
Filosa took over as Stellantis CEO in 2025 and has been reshaping the company's leadership ever since. Ram and Jeep are his priority. The two brands generate the bulk of Stellantis's U.S. sales and profits. Losing momentum there would hurt the entire company.
Under the new structure, both VanDyke and Coté will report directly to Kuniskis, who steps back from running Ram day-to-day but stays in the chain of command. Quiver Quant noted the moves are part of a broader effort to align leadership with Filosa's customer-focused growth strategy.
Ram Is Flying, Jeep Is Struggling to Keep Up
The two brands are in very different spots right now. Ram had a strong first half of 2025. Total pickup sales rose 14% in the second quarter. Over the full first half, Ram trucks sold roughly 20% more than a year ago.
Jeep tells a different story. Its Q2 sales fell about 5% overall. There were bright spots — the Grand Wagoneer jumped 43% in retail sales — but the brand needs a steadier hand at the top. That's the gap Coté is being asked to fill, according to Market Screener.
Who Are the New CEOs Taking the Wheel?
Matt VanDyke comes from the digital retail side of the car business. He previously led Shift Digital and FordDirect, giving him deep experience in how cars are marketed and sold to consumers. That background fits Filosa's push to put customers first.
Branden Coté brings nearly two decades across both carmakers and dealerships. He most recently served as Brand President at AutoNation, one of the largest U.S. dealer groups. Before that, he held posts at Aston Martin Lagonda, Canoo, and Mercedes-AMG/Mercedes-Benz USA, Benzinga reported.
Broderdorf on Leave, Kuniskis Stays in the Picture
Bob Broderdorf is stepping away from Jeep while on medical leave. Stellantis said he will return to a new leadership role within the company once he recovers. His exit created the opening for Coté's August 3 start date.
Kuniskis, a longtime Stellantis veteran who built much of Ram's modern identity, is not leaving. He moves into an oversight role above both new brand CEOs. The structure keeps his experience in place while giving VanDyke and Coté room to run, TT News noted.
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