In a surprising turn of events, Stellantis has reinstated Timothy Kuniskis as the Chief Executive Officer of Ram, effective immediately. This marks Kuniskis’s return from retirement, which was announced just months prior in May, and signals a significant leadership reshuffle within Stellantis’s North American operations. The news was confirmed by company spokesperson Shawn Morgan to Automotive Dive, highlighting the swift and impactful nature of these changes.
This move sees Christine Feuell, who had taken on the dual role of Chrysler CEO and Ram head following Kuniskis’s initial departure on June 1st, now focusing her leadership solely on Chrysler and Alfa Romeo brands. Feuell’s expanded responsibilities now include Alfa Romeo, taking over from Larry Dominique, who is departing from the automaker.
Stellantis, in an official statement, emphasized the strategic rationale behind these changes. “Yesterday’s changes will enable us to operate in a structure that will drive the best outcomes for the region, unlock significant potential and win in the market,” the company stated. A key driver for Kuniskis’s return is the renewed focus on the Ram brand, ensuring it has dedicated leadership to navigate the current market dynamics. “A main lever is for the Ram brand to have its CEO singularly focused on that brand.”
Timothy Kuniskis’s comeback occurs amidst broader executive adjustments at Stellantis. While the original article mentioned a possible resignation of Stellantis global CEO Carlos Tavares, further investigation and linked sources clarify that it was a wave of leadership changes, not a resignation. These changes come after Stellantis reported two consecutive quarters of declining profits and a shrinking market share in North America, a stark contrast to the strong sales figures of 2023.
Kuniskis brings a wealth of experience back to Ram, having spent over three decades in various leadership roles within Stellantis. His extensive resume includes positions such as global head of Alfa Romeo (from February 2018), head of passenger cars for North America (from June 2019), and leadership roles at Fiat, Jeep, and Maserati brands in North America. Most recently before his brief retirement, Timothy Kuniskis served as CEO of Dodge starting in January 2021.
Despite a robust 2023 where Stellantis announced a net profit of 18.6 billion euros ($19.6 billion) and a 7% growth in consolidated vehicle shipments, 2024 has presented new challenges. The automaker experienced a significant 48% year-over-year drop in net profit in the first half of 2024. This downturn prompted Stellantis to revise its full-year outlook and implement corrective measures, including the recent sweeping leadership changes.
Further demonstrating the extent of these adjustments, October saw Antonio Filosa appointed as Jeep’s COO in addition to his CEO responsibilities, succeeding Carlos Zarlenga. Stellantis also appointed Doug Ostermann as CFO, replacing Natalie Knight. Adding to this series of appointments, Jeff Kommor was named head of North American sales. Kommor’s promotion follows his February appointment as SVP of commercial sales, where he was tasked with expanding Stellantis’s fleet, government, and B2B sales. He previously held the position of head of U.S. sales for Stellantis.
Kuniskis’s return to steer the Ram brand is particularly noteworthy given the context of a 36% year-over-year decrease in Stellantis’s North American vehicle shipments in Q3, and a 42% drop in net revenues. However, within these broader declines, Ram has shown relative strength. Notably, commercial sales of heavy-duty Ram trucks (2500 and 3500 models) in the U.S. surged by 26% year-over-year in Q3. Furthermore, Ram’s light-duty retail sales saw an 11% increase from Q2, indicating pockets of resilience within the brand.
The reinstatement of Timothy Kuniskis as Ram CEO is a strategic move by Stellantis to inject experienced leadership into a key brand amidst a challenging period. His return, alongside other significant leadership changes, underscores Stellantis’s commitment to navigating the competitive automotive landscape and driving future growth in North America.
