Stellantis is playing its favorite game again: corporate musical chairs, North American edition. Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa is rearranging the executive suite to inject some seasoned talent into the group’s struggling American cash cows. The latest reshuffle brings two heavy hitters to the frontlines, tasked with rescuing Ram and Jeep from their current high-stakes identity crises.
Starting July 20, Matt VanDyke officially takes the wheel as the new CEO of Ram. He inherits the truck kingdom from Tim Kuniskis, the ultimate corporate multitasker who has been pulling double duty as Ram’s boss while simultaneously managing American brands, marketing, and retail strategy since July 2025. VanDyke’s resume screams “digital wizard”, having served as president of Shift Digital and CEO of FordDirect.
Stellantis just hired a guy deeply steeped in Ford and Lincoln DNA to sell rugged, HEMI-less Ram pickups to a traditional crowd that still treats digital transformation like witchcraft. His past roles managing Ford Europe and Lincoln’s global sales will surely help him explain to an anxious dealership network why their lots are suddenly full of expensive electric trucks.
Meanwhile, over at Jeep, the keys are being handed to Branden Coté on August 3. Coté replaces Bob Broderdorf, who is taking a medical leave before returning to a different corporate slot later down the line. Coté brings two decades of retail dealership warfare to a brand desperately trying to remember what made it famous in the first place.
His background looks like a luxury fever dream: AutoNation brand president, Aston Martin Lagonda, Mercedes-AMG, and even Canoo, the EV startup whose vehicles look like futuristic toaster ovens. Filosa clearly hopes Coté’s experience with high-end luxury and performance distribution will help Jeep protect its global rugged heritage while forcing the brand down a bumpy, electrified path.
Both new CEOs will report directly to Kuniskis, who warmly welcomed them by stating they are “proven leaders” ready to take these iconic American brands to the next level.
