Former CEO Carlos Tavares Suggests That Stellantis May Split Up

Carlos Tavares resigned as CEO of Stellantis in December 2024, and Antonio Filosa has been appointed as his successor. The company is restructuring its brands to aim for a brighter future, though Tavares has indicated that this future may be uncertain.

In a compelling new book highlighted by Automotive News Europe, the former CEO warns that Stellantis might be on the brink of an unprecedented breakup. Born out of the ambitious 2021 merger between Italy’s iconic Fiat Chrysler and France’s renowned PSA Group, Stellantis now oversees an impressive portfolio of 14 diverse brands that span the globe.

“I am worried that the three-way balance between Italy, France, and the U.S. will break,” Tavares writes. “With me gone, I am not sure that the French interests that I always had at heart—whether you believe it or not—will be as well defended.”

The former Stellantis boss proposes that a Chinese manufacturer could take over Stellantis’s European operations, allowing the American division to regain control of brands like Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram. He believes this move could enhance their competitive positions, particularly in the U.S.

Tavares’s predictions, though intriguing, should be approached with a healthy dose of skepticism. One should consider the uncertainty surrounding them before placing too much trust in his forecasts.

The former CEO stepped down in 2024 following backlash over aggressive cost-cutting measures and an ambitious shift toward an all-electric lineup—a strategy that has since backfired. While Tavares insists he was not forced out, he admits in hindsight that he could have done “tons of things” differently.