Familiar faces suggest Stellantis is about evolution rather than revolution

As the dust settles on the mega-merger of PSA and Fiat Chrysler to form Stellantis, the corporation has unveiled a new structure. It features many familiar faces, suggesting that consolidation and continuation is the name of the game rather than radical shake ups. Stalwart Ralph Gilles is heading up design across Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Maserati and Fiat Latin America, and Jean-Pierre Ploué will oversee Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Citroen, DS, Fiat Europe, Lancia, Opel, Peugeot and Vauxhall.

Gilles, design boss for FCA since 2015, will now wield his influence across multiple brands within the Stellantis umbrella. He is highly experienced across the portfolio, beginning his career as an interior designer at Jeep in 1992. Stints at Dodge and Chrysler SRT followed, where he headed up the respective design teams. It is perhaps Chrysler that Gilles is most strongly associated with, designing award-winning cars such as the 300 (2006) and SRT edition of the Viper (2014). Replacing seasoned veteran Trevor Creed in 2015, Gilles ushered in a more sensual design language.

Gilles splits his design responsibilities with Jean-Pierre Ploué who will take on OEMs that fall under the european umbrella. Prior to the merger, Ploué was the design boss across PSA and is largely credited with restoring Citroen’s unique design character and innovative reputation when he took over the OEMs design centre in 1999. Citroen went on to produce fêted models such as the C4, the second generation C5, the C6, and the launch of the premium DS Automobiles brand in 2014. Ploué became the senior VP of design of Groupe PSA in 2016. The designer has a body of quality work to his name winning awards from Louis Vuitton for concept cars, GTbyCITROËN and C-Métisse. However, Ploue will likely have his work cut out to reinvigorate Opel’s moribund design language, which came in for criticism on the Car Design News end of year review.

The reshuffle comes as other major OEMs announced personnel changes. Ford’s VP of design Moray Callum is set to retire, making way for current vice-president of exterior design for Groupe Renault Anthony Lo to take on the role. Elsewhere, Peter Horbury is to leave Chinese auto giant Geely to be replaced by Bentley’s design chief Stefan Sielaff. Car Design News approached Geely for a comment, but the company was remaining tight-lipped.