Renault has a new interim boss!

In a statement released on July 15 at 5:55 PM, Renault Group announced the appointment of Duncan Minto as Interim Chief Executive Officer.

The appointment of Duncan Minto as Interim Chief Executive Officer allows Renault to finalize the designation of the definitive successor to Luca de Meo. Currently the Chief Financial Officer of the group, Duncan Minto will take charge of the daily management of the company, alongside Jean-Dominique Senard, who will assume the role of Chairman of Renault s.a.s., the operational entity of the group during this period.

At 57 years old, Luca de Meo has chosen to close this chapter on July 15, 2025, which he started in July 2020, to, as he put it, “take on new challenges outside the automotive sector”, more specifically within the luxury group Kering.

Arriving amid an industrial and financial storm, at the heart of the post-Ghosn crisis and a car market shaken by the pandemic, Luca de Meo leaves behind a group that has been profoundly transformed, financially recovered, and endowed with a new strategic vision embodied by the “Renaulution” plan.

A graduate in business administration from Bocconi University in Milan, this multilingual Italian passionate about brands has established himself over the years as one of the most influential leaders in the European automotive industry. After an initial tenure at Renault in the 1990s, he climbed the ranks at Toyota, Fiat (where he revitalized the 500 and repositioned Abarth), and then within the Volkswagen group. Leading SEAT since 2015, he revived the Catalan brand with a renewed commercial momentum and a strong identity.

His return to Renault, thirty years after his debut, marked a clear intention from the manufacturer to invest in a profile that is both strategic and operational. From the moment he took office, de Meo initiated a profound transformation, breaking away from the race for volumes to prioritize value creation. Five years later, Renault has returned to profitability, is more understandable, and is resolutely focused on the future.

Renault is still searching for a new captain

The process of selecting a new Chief Executive Officer is, according to Renault, “already well underway,” under the supervision of the Governance and Compensation Committee of the Board of Directors.

At 50 years old, Duncan Minto has solid experience within the Renault group, which he joined in 1997 in the UK. A graduate of the University of St Andrews, he has held several key positions in financial and operational areas, notably at Renault-Nissan Portugal, Renault Ireland, and more recently at Dacia, Alpine, and then Renault Group starting in March 2025, where he joined the Leadership Team.

The group will publish its semi-annual results on July 31. The final decision regarding its new captain should be announced then.

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