Stellantis has announced the return of Timothy Kuniskis to his former role as CEO of Ram, just months after his retirement in May. This leadership change is part of a broader restructuring within Stellantis’ North American operations, as confirmed by company spokesperson Shawn Morgan.
Kuniskis, who previously stepped down from the Ram CEO position, is back to lead the brand with immediate effect. In a related move, Christine Feuell, who took on the dual role of Chrysler and Ram CEO after Kuniskis’s initial departure on June 1st, will now focus solely on leading the Chrysler and Alfa Romeo brands. Feuell’s expanded responsibilities for Alfa Romeo come as Larry Dominique, the former head of Alfa Romeo in North America, departs from the company.
Stellantis released a statement emphasizing 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. A main lever is for the Ram brand to have its CEO singularly focused on that brand.” This indicates a clear priority for Stellantis to bolster the Ram brand’s performance through dedicated leadership under Timothy Kuniskis.
Kuniskis’s return comes after Carlos Tavares’s sudden resignation as Stellantis global CEO on December 1st. This leadership reshuffle occurs against a backdrop of financial pressures for Stellantis, which reported two consecutive quarters of declining profits and market share in North America following a strong sales year in 2023.
Timothy Kuniskis brings a wealth of experience back to Stellantis. Prior to his brief retirement, he had a distinguished career spanning over three decades within the company, holding various key executive positions. His previous roles include Global Head of Alfa Romeo (from February 2018), Head of Passenger Cars for North America (from June 2019), and leadership positions at Fiat, Jeep, and Maserati brands in North America. Most recently before his initial retirement, Kuniskis served as CEO of Dodge, starting in January 2021.
While Stellantis reported a strong net profit of 18.6 billion euros ($19.6 billion) in 2023, with a 7% increase in consolidated vehicle shipments, this positive momentum has not continued into 2024. 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 financial outlook and implement corrective measures, including these recent sweeping leadership changes.
Further demonstrating the extent of these changes, Stellantis appointed Antonio Filosa as Jeep’s COO in October, in addition to his CEO responsibilities for the brand, succeeding Carlos Zarlenga. The company also replaced its CFO, with Doug Ostermann taking over from Natalie Knight.
The decision to reinstate Timothy Kuniskis as head of Ram underscores the importance of the brand within Stellantis’ portfolio, particularly as the company faces challenges in the North American market. Stellantis’ vehicle shipments in North America decreased by 36% year-over-year in Q3, and net revenues fell by 42% amidst intense competition. However, within this challenging environment, the Ram brand has shown relative strength.
Notably, commercial sales of heavy-duty Ram trucks (2500 and 3500 models) in the U.S. saw a robust 26% year-over-year increase in Q3. Furthermore, Ram’s light-duty retail sales grew by 11% compared to Q2, indicating positive traction in key segments.
Alongside the return of Timothy Kuniskis and other executive shifts, Stellantis has also appointed Jeff Kommor as Head of North American Sales. Kommor, who was previously appointed SVP of Commercial Sales in February and tasked with growing fleet, government, and B2B sales, brings further sales expertise to the North American leadership team. His prior experience includes serving as Head of U.S. Sales for Stellantis. These strategic leadership adjustments signal Stellantis’ commitment to navigating the current market challenges and leveraging experienced leaders like Timothy Kuniskis to drive performance and growth, particularly within the crucial Ram brand.
