Antonio Filosa
"Success in America is not just good for Stellantis in the U.S. — it makes us stronger everywhere."
— Antonio Filosa[3]
Overview
Antonio Filosa | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1973 (age 51–52) Naples, Italy |
| Citizenship | Italy, Brazil |
| Education | Master's degree in mechanical engineering; executive MBA |
| Alma mater | Politecnico di Milano; Fundação Dom Cabral |
| Occupation | Automotive executive |
| Employer | Stellantis |
| Known for | Leading the turnaround of Stellantis in the 2020s |
| Title | Chief executive officer of Stellantis |
| Term | 2025–present |
| Predecessor | Carlos Tavares |
| Board member of | Stellantis (executive director-designate) |
| Spouse | Married to a Brazilian architect |
| Children | 2 sons |
🌍 Antonio Filosa (born 1973) is an Italian-Brazilian automotive executive who has served as chief executive officer of Stellantis since 23 June 2025.[4] A career-long manager within the former Fiat Chrysler Automobiles group, he previously headed Stellantis operations in South America and North America, led the global Jeep brand and held the positions of chief operating officer for the Americas and chief quality officer before succeeding Carlos Tavares after a six-month search.[5][6] Filosa is the first Italian to lead Stellantis since its creation and has been tasked with reviving the group’s profitability, accelerating its transition to electric vehicles and mending strained relations with dealers, unions and governments in key markets.[7][8]
Early life and education
🧭 Southern Italian roots. Filosa was born in 1973 in Naples in southern Italy and spent much of his childhood in the nearby Puglia region, far from the country’s traditional industrial centres.[5] He went on to study mechanical engineering at the Politecnico di Milano, earning a master’s degree that provided a strong technical grounding for a future in the car industry.[9][10]
🗣️ International business training. Seeking broader management skills and international exposure, Filosa later completed an executive MBA at Fundação Dom Cabral in Brazil, one of the country’s leading business schools, a move that helped tie his career to Latin America.[9] Over time he became a dual citizen of Italy and Brazil, fluent in Italian, Portuguese and English, and commentators have highlighted how this bi-continental background shaped his ability to bridge cultures within a multinational group.[10][11] Rather than a dramatic mid-life career change, coverage of his early years emphasises a more gradual decision to pursue opportunities abroad, particularly in Brazil, which became his second home and a launchpad for his rise inside the Fiat and Stellantis organisations.[5]
Career
Fiat and Latin American operations
🏭 Entry into Fiat. Filosa joined the Fiat Group in 1999 as a trainee in Turin, taking on a succession of roles in production, purchasing and industrial operations as the company restructured in the early 2000s.[5] After initial assignments in Europe he moved increasingly towards Latin America, reflecting both the strategic importance of that region for Fiat and his own willingness to relocate in pursuit of more demanding responsibilities.[10]
🇧🇷 Regional leadership in South America. By the mid-2000s Filosa was based in Brazil, where he became purchasing manager at the large Betim plant and later held senior industrial and commercial posts across the region, including responsibility for Argentina between 2016 and 2018.[10] In 2018 he was promoted to chief operating officer for FCA’s Latin America region and joined the group’s executive council, making him one of the youngest members of the company’s top management.[9] Under his leadership the group strengthened its position in South America: Fiat regained the number-one spot in the Brazilian market, while Peugeot, Citroën, Jeep and Ram increased their volumes throughout the continent.[4]
🚙 Jeep production and Pernambuco plant. A visible symbol of this expansion was the Pernambuco complex in north-eastern Brazil, one of the largest automotive plants in South America, from which Filosa oversaw the launch of locally produced Jeep models such as the Renegade and the Toro pickup.[10] Brazil rapidly became Jeep’s biggest market outside the United States, and Stellantis described its market position in the region under his stewardship as one of “clear leadership”.[4] These results helped establish his reputation internally as a hands-on operator capable of turning regional businesses into reliable profit centres.
Jeep brand and North American responsibilities
🇺🇸 Global Jeep chief. When Fiat Chrysler Automobiles merged with PSA Group in 2021 to form Stellantis, Filosa remained in charge of South America, providing continuity during the integration of the new group.[4] In November 2023 he was appointed global chief executive of the Jeep brand, becoming the first Italian to lead the iconic marque at a time when Jeep’s sales momentum in the United States was weakening and Stellantis’ overall North American market share was under pressure.[6][10] His initial priorities included restoring Jeep’s appeal in its home market and supporting new products such as the compact Jeep Avenger in Europe, while aligning the brand with the company’s electrification ambitions.[4]
📈 Head of Stellantis North America. In October 2024, amid slumping sales and strained dealer relations in the United States, Filosa was given responsibility for Stellantis’ North American operations, effectively becoming chief operating officer for the United States, Canada and Mexico.[6] Within months he was also named chief operating officer for the Americas as a whole and, in early 2025, global chief quality officer, further consolidating his influence over the group’s operations.[5][4] In these roles he focused on reducing excess dealer inventories that had weighed on margins, refreshing the product line-up with new models and powertrains, and rebuilding trust with dealers, suppliers and unions who had grown dissatisfied during the previous regime.[6][12]
🧮 Early impact on performance. By the third quarter of 2025, after several quarters of restructuring and inventory reduction, Stellantis reported that its global vehicle shipments had risen by around 13% year-on-year, a rebound that was widely interpreted as an early sign that Filosa’s changes in North America and other markets were beginning to take effect.[13] Analysts nevertheless noted that the group still lagged some competitors in the electric-vehicle race and that sustaining this improvement would require further investment and careful brand positioning.[8]
Chief executive of Stellantis
🏛️ Succession to Carlos Tavares. Stellantis’ first chief executive, Carlos Tavares, resigned under pressure in December 2024 after a sharp deterioration in profits, cash flow and share price, leaving Executive Chairman John Elkann to oversee day-to-day operations while the board conducted a six-month internal and external search for a successor.[7][6] During 2024 the group’s net profit fell by about 70% and it burned roughly €6 billion in cash, while Stellantis shares lost around two-thirds of their value, intensifying calls for strategic change.[7] On 28 May 2025 the board unanimously chose Filosa as CEO, citing his 25-year record at the company, his experience running both North and South American operations and what it called his “hands-on” and collaborative leadership style.[4][6]
🧩 Mandate and strategic priorities. Filosa formally assumed CEO powers on 23 June 2025, pending his election as an executive director at a shareholder meeting, and became the first Italian to lead Stellantis since the merger of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and PSA.[4][5] Major shareholders John Elkann and Robert Peugeot publicly endorsed him as the “obvious choice”, pointing to his knowledge of the company, his record in South America and his understanding of the crucial U.S. market.[12][6] Early statements from Filosa and the board highlighted three main priorities: restoring profitability and market share in North America, rationalising a complex portfolio of 14 brands without undermining their heritage, and accelerating electrification in the face of intensified Chinese competition and U.S. trade tariffs.[4][8]
📉 Inherited challenges. Filosa took over at a time when Stellantis was confronting falling sales in several regions, a heavy reliance on profits from combustion-engine trucks and SUVs, and criticism from unions and some investors of the cost-driven management style associated with Tavares.[7][6] French coverage described the outgoing CEO as a “psychopath of performance”, a reference to his relentless drive for efficiency, and framed Filosa’s appointment as an opportunity to reconcile financial discipline with “management à visage humain”, or human-centred leadership.[12] To signal a break with the past, the new CEO visited emblematic factories in Italy and France, including the historic Sochaux plant, soon after his nomination, and emphasised that Stellantis’ workforce was the company’s “core strength”.[12][4]
Compensation and wealth
💰 Remuneration package. As chief executive of Stellantis, Filosa receives a base salary of US$1.8 million per year, somewhat lower than that of his predecessor, and is eligible for an annual bonus of up to 400% of his base pay depending on the achievement of financial and operational targets.[14] His long-term incentive plan provides for performance-linked share awards worth up to five times his salary in 2025, rising to a potential maximum of 7.8 times from 2027, meaning his total compensation could reach about US$23 million annually by 2028 if all targets are met.[14] To bridge the period before these long-term incentives vest, Stellantis granted him a special annual cash allowance of US$1.2 million through 2027, and company documents indicate that his guaranteed pay in the first years at the helm will be at least US$4 million per year.[14]
📊 Comparison with predecessors and ownership. Filosa’s remuneration has been widely noted as lower than that of Carlos Tavares, who earned €36.5 million in 2023 and negotiated an exit package of about €35 million despite the company’s worsening performance, a pay level that had drawn political and public criticism in Europe.[14] By contrast, the new CEO’s package is more heavily weighted towards long-term equity incentives tied to the group’s recovery, reflecting pressure from investors and stakeholders for closer alignment between executive pay and performance.[14][6] Filosa is not known to hold a significant personal stake in Stellantis beyond his remuneration-linked share awards; effective control of the group remains with Exor, the Agnelli family holding company, and the Peugeot family, which together are its largest shareholders.[6]
Personal life and leadership style
🏡 Family and bi-continental identity. Reuters and company biographies describe Filosa as married to a Brazilian architect, with whom he has two sons, and note that he has developed deep personal ties to Brazil after many years living and working there.[5][9] He holds both Italian and Brazilian citizenship and speaks Portuguese and English in addition to his native Italian, reinforcing his image as a manager comfortable moving between different cultural contexts inside a global automotive group.[10][11] As of 2025 he is based in the Detroit metropolitan area, reflecting his responsibilities for the North American business and the location of several key Stellantis facilities.[4]
🙂 Public image and demeanour. French and Italian profiles portray Filosa as a discreet, down-to-earth executive who avoids celebrity-style exposure and maintains a relatively informal dress code, often appearing in open-collar shirts rather than the more rigid style associated with his predecessor.[12][10] Le Point characterised him as “le nouveau mécano en chef de Stellantis”, emphasising both his technical background and his role in repairing the group’s problems, and contrasted his warm, relaxed manner with Tavares’ austere reputation.[12] Reuters has similarly noted his passion for water polo, describing it as a favourite pastime that underlines his preference for physically demanding, team-oriented activities outside work.[5]
🗂️ Management philosophy. In statements surrounding his appointment, Filosa has repeatedly stressed that Stellantis’ employees are the company’s principal strength and that trust in teams is essential to achieving excellence, language that aligns with his reputation for collaborative leadership.[4][12] As head of North America he increased consultations with dealer councils and union representatives and sought to rebuild relationships with suppliers, favouring partnership over confrontation after a period of tension under the previous management.[6] Internally he is seen as a pragmatic, detail-oriented operator who closely monitors issues such as inventory levels but prefers to motivate through engagement rather than fear, a stance summed up by one Italian dealer who described him as “very prepared and pragmatic” and attuned to market realities.[6]
Controversies and challenges
⚖️ Reception and investor concerns. Filosa’s appointment attracted relatively little personal controversy, partly because he had spent most of his career below the media radar and had not been associated with major scandals.[6][10] Nonetheless, some investors expressed disappointment that the board chose an insider rather than an external “change agent”, with one portfolio manager quoted by Reuters describing the decision as “almost a fallback solution” and noting that the company’s shares fell by about 2% on the day of the announcement.[6] Supporters countered that his intimate knowledge of Stellantis and its brands, combined with his operational experience in North and South America, made him well placed to stabilise the group after a turbulent period.[6][5]
🌱 Strategic and ESG challenges. As CEO, Filosa faces a complex agenda that includes catching up with competitors in the market for electric vehicles, responding to aggressive Chinese entrants, managing the impact of U.S. import tariffs and deciding how far to rationalise Stellantis’ portfolio of 14 automotive brands.[8][6] Analysts have suggested that weaker marques could face consolidation or even closure, a prospect that would require delicate negotiations with unions and national governments in countries such as France and Italy, where Stellantis remains a major industrial employer.[6][12] French unions have already called on Filosa to break clearly with what they termed the “authoritarian” cost-cutting management of the Tavares era and to relaunch the company’s industrial momentum, underscoring the social expectations attached to his leadership.[6]
🔮 Assessment and outlook. Commentators have described Filosa’s rise from trainee in 1999 to CEO in 2025 as emblematic of a “company lifer” who built his career step by step across continents, from Italian factories to Brazilian plants and finally North American headquarters.[5][10] His leadership will be judged on whether he can reverse the steep profit decline and share-price slump that precipitated the change at the top, while preserving the distinctive identities of Stellantis’ many brands and fostering the more human-centred management style he has promised.[7][12] In his first public reactions to the appointment, Filosa called it a “great honour” and acknowledged the scale of the responsibility, framing his mandate as one of stabilisation and renewal for one of the world’s largest carmakers.[12][4]
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References
- ↑ "Stellantis Announces Antonio Filosa - 25-Year Veteran of the Company - to Be Its New Chief Executive Officer". Nasdaq.
- ↑ "Stellantis to Invest $13 Billion to Grow in the United States". Stellantis.
- ↑ "EVs take a backseat in Stellantis' $13B US investment plan". TechCrunch.
- ↑ 4.00 4.01 4.02 4.03 4.04 4.05 4.06 4.07 4.08 4.09 4.10 4.11 4.12 "Stellantis Announces Antonio Filosa – 25-Year Veteran of the Company – to Be Its New Chief Executive Officer". Stellantis. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
- ↑ 5.00 5.01 5.02 5.03 5.04 5.05 5.06 5.07 5.08 5.09 "From trainee to CEO: Antonio Filosa, the new boss of Jeep maker Stellantis". Reuters. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
- ↑ 6.00 6.01 6.02 6.03 6.04 6.05 6.06 6.07 6.08 6.09 6.10 6.11 6.12 6.13 6.14 6.15 6.16 6.17 "Jeep-maker Stellantis names insider to lead revival". Reuters. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 "Stellantis names Italian Antonio Filosa as its new CEO". Reuters via WTAQ. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 "Sales, China, U.S. tariffs: challenges facing new Stellantis boss". Reuters. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 9.3 "Antonio Filosa Bio – July 2025 Extraordinary General Meeting" (PDF). Stellantis. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
- ↑ 10.00 10.01 10.02 10.03 10.04 10.05 10.06 10.07 10.08 10.09 "Who Antonio Filosa is and how he became CEO of Stellantis". ClubAlfa. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 "Antonio Filosa". Wikipédia (in French). Retrieved 2025-11-20.
- ↑ 12.00 12.01 12.02 12.03 12.04 12.05 12.06 12.07 12.08 12.09 "Antonio Filosa, le nouveau mécano en chef de Stellantis". Le Point. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
- ↑ "Stellantis shipments rebound as CEO Filosa's strategy starts to deliver". Reuters. Retrieved 2025-11-20.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 14.3 14.4 "Stellantis' new CEO Filosa set to earn up to $23 million a year". Reuters. Retrieved 2025-11-20.