The car world is a tough game right now, and Stellantis just picked its new leader to lead the course. After a six-month search, the global automotive giant named company veteran Antonio Filosa as its next Chief Executive Officer.

He’s set to take over from Carlos Tavares on June 23, 2025, stepping into the top role as Stellantis faces some serious industry headwinds.

Filosa isn’t new to the pressures of Stellantis; he currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer for the Americas and also as the company’s global chief quality officer.

Stellantis highlighted his proven track record of success over a 25-year career as a key reason for this internal promotion.

His journey with the company began way back with Fiat in 1999 and has included huge leadership roles, such as COO of South America for Stellantis and a stint as the global CEO for the Jeep brand in 2023.

Current Executive Chairman John Elkann will continue in his position, providing a measure of stability during the transition. Filosa plans to announce his own new leadership team when he officially starts.

He definitely has his work cut out for him. Stellantis has seen North American sales figures dip across its wide range of 14 brands. The company is also grappling with the impact of a hefty 25 percent U.S. tariff on imported cars.

That tariff hits many of their vehicles hard, affecting those produced in Mexico and Canada, as well as European imports like Alfa Romeo, Fiat, and Maserati. The Chrysler brand is on life support, lacking new product, and the introduction of the new Dodge Charger was an absolute flop.

Stellantis had even suspended its 2025 financial guidance earlier due to these tariff uncertainties and a drop in first-quarter revenue.

Filosa wrote on LinkedIn after the news of his appointment broke, “This place is in my blood,” and said he plans to hit the road to meet with as many Stellantis employees as possible in the coming month.

With Filosa stepping up as CEO in late June, all eyes in the automotive industry will be on how he and his new team tackle these significant challenges.

He faces a tough road ahead, from working to boost sales and managing Stellantis’s diverse portfolio of brands to leading the complex global shift toward electric vehicles.