Carlos Tavares, the driver-CEO, loses control of the wheel

The axe fell this Sunday, December 1st. Carlos Tavares is leaving the leadership of the Stellantis Group effective immediately.

History is a perpetual reoccurrence, Carlos Tavares must have thought this morning. On August 29, 2013, Renault announced the somewhat forced departure of its number 2. A penalty for openly displaying the highest ambitions. “Anyone who is passionate about the automotive industry also agrees that there comes a time when the appetite and energy for a number 1 position are felt”, he had declared during an interview with Bloomberg, mentioning the possibility of joining the United States and a company like General Motors, or even Ford. A champion’s temperament aimed always at the top of the box rather than honorable places. This could exasperate Carlos Ghosn, then head of the Renault brand, because there has always been a major difference between the two. Ghosn’s little passion for automobiles, while Tavares lives and breathes cars, and had not hesitated to risk his future and credibility by relaunching the Alpine brand against his superior’s advice. A nod to this Renault brand that abandoned him, in 2014 he became the CEO of PSA Peugeot Citroën, where he led a major transformation of the group, including the acquisition of Opel and Vauxhall. With the merger of PSA and FCA in 2021, he was appointed CEO of Stellantis, overseeing 14 automotive brands worldwide.

Ten years later, Stellantis has therefore mutually agreed to dismiss him, unless Tavares resigned… the details are unclear, but the relationship has ended. A sudden turn, but there was no doubt considering the gravity of Stellantis’ situation and the fragility of its top executive’s position. The man says he is now ready to work for himself after a lifetime serving others. Unless the sirens of politics call him for the Portuguese presidential election in January 2026? Who knows what ambitions this trained engineer, graduated from École Centrale Paris in 1981, nurtures. In any case, it’s hard to imagine the hyperactive industry captain remaining inactive. We will see where the winds of destiny carry him.

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