Tim Kuniskis named head of Jeep in FCA exec shuffle
Mike Manley, the new CEO of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, is making some changes in the executive structure, effective immediately, meaning some familiar names will find themselves in new offices this week.
Tim Kuniskis is the new head of Jeep in the latest FCA executive shuffle.
It was just a few months ago that Mike Manley ascended to the CEO position at Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, the umbrella covering those brands plus Dodge, Ram, Maserati, Alfa Romeo and Jeep in the US. He took the reins from Sergio Marchionne, who sadly passed less than a week later. Now, Manley is making some changes to his executive team.
Reid Bigland, who recently ran Alfa Romeo and Maserati in the US, is moving to take over Ram, the brand he oversaw from 2013 to 2014. Tim Kuniskis, who recently assumed global responsibility for Alfa and Maserati, has been named head of the Jeep brand, a position Manley himself held previously. Maserati also has a new COO in the name of Harald Wester, while Pietro Gorlier is the new COO of FCA for the EMEA, which includes Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
Manley's team has an important year ahead. The new Ram 1500 faces stiff competition from the new Silverado and Sierra, while Alfa Romeo in the US is still struggling to shrug off its reputation as a problematic brand. It's a good thing, then, that the new Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid is so good.