Jeep CEO Christian Meunier has announced his departure after three years in the role, marking the end of a transformative era for the iconic SUV brand. During his tenure, Meunier led Jeep’s wide-reaching electrification program and oversaw the launch of several crucial new models.
Meunier’s journey with Jeep began two years before he became the global president of the brand in 2019. Prior to that, he held various positions at Nissan, including SUV marketing boss, sales vice president, and global president of the Infiniti luxury marque. In January 2021, when Jeep became part of the Stellantis empire, Meunier was appointed as CEO.
In a statement, Stellantis announced that Meunier is leaving to “take a long break to focus on personal interests.” His replacement, Antonio Filosa, who previously served as the chief operating officer of Stellantis South America, will assume the role of Jeep CEO on November 1.
Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis, expressed his gratitude to Meunier for his contribution to the company’s success. He acknowledged that personal decisions are part of life and emphasized the importance of recognizing the human qualities of colleagues beyond their business acumen.
Under Meunier’s leadership, Jeep introduced several significant new models. These include the Gladiator pick-up truck, the new Jeep Grand Cherokee – the brand’s largest and most luxurious model to date – and the Jeep Avenger crossover, which is the first European-designed model from Jeep and the current European Car of the Year.
Furthermore, Jeep expanded its hybrid lineup with the introduction of e-Hybrid and 4xe versions of its core SUVs. This move helped the brand achieve market-leading plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) sales in North America. More recently, Jeep unveiled details about two large new electric SUVs – the Recon and Wagoneer S – and showcased its experimentation with autonomous driving technology in off-road environments.
Despite these achievements, Jeep’s sales in 2022 experienced a decline of 13% compared to the previous year, reaching their lowest point since 2014. In the first half of this year, the company’s sales dropped another 12%. However, Stellantis has not indicated that Meunier’s departure is connected to the downturn.
In a recent interview with Autocar, Meunier acknowledged that Jeep had faced challenges in cracking the UK market, where it held a minuscule 0.3% stake in the SUV segment. He expressed his commitment to leveraging Jeep’s increasingly electrified lineup to enhance its presence in the UK, noting that British people enjoy driving and that the Jeep brand can resonate with them.
Meunier took to social media to share his thoughts on his departure, describing it as “the end of a beautiful story with Jeep and the start of a new chapter.” He expressed pride in his team’s work in boosting the brand’s image through electrification and technology. One of his notable achievements was the development and launch of “4xe” – Jeep’s answer to electrification.
As Meunier steps down and Filosa takes over as Jeep CEO, the brand will continue its journey towards electrification and innovation. With a strong lineup of hybrid and electric vehicles, Jeep aims to overcome challenges and strengthen its position in the global market. The legacy of Meunier’s transformative leadership will undoubtedly shape the future of Jeep as it embraces the opportunities presented by the evolving automotive landscape.