Corporate musical chairs is an Olympic sport in the automotive industry, and the Stellantis-backed Leapmotor International (LPMI) just snagged another gold medal. Fresh out of Amsterdam on October 9, 2026, the joint venture officially announced a C-suite reboot aimed at accelerating its grand plan: flooding global markets with affordable, high-tech electric vehicles before traditional European legacy automakers figure out what hit them.
Stepping into the corner office as Chief Executive Officer is Danilo Annese, whose promotion officially took effect back on September 1. Since January 2025, he served as Head of Commercial Operations for LPMI Enlarged Europe, where he aggressively expanded the dealer network and helped turn Leapmotor into one of the continent’s fastest-growing EV outfits.
Annese takes over the top spot from Tianshu Xin, who vacated the chair earlier this year to helm Stellantis’ China and Asia-Pacific operations. In corporate speak, Xin handed over the keys after setting the house on fire in a good way, leaving Annese to pilot the joint venture’s global commercial expansion and strategic roadmap.
To fill the shoes Annese left behind in the European sales division, LPMI recruited Sander Jansen as Responsible of Commercial Operations for Enlarged Europe, starting November 1, 2026. Jansen isn’t a rookie pulled from a mid-level management seminar. He currently serves as Managing Director of Stellantis Netherlands, bringing a stacked resume in sales, brand building, and navigating Europe’s notoriously finicky car buyers.
With Tianshu Xin publicly singing praises for both executives, extolling Annese’s customer-centric vision and Jansen’s market-tested commercial acumen, the underlying message is crystal clear. Annese expressed honor in leading the charge alongside global dealers to democratize smart mobility, while Jansen chimed in with equal enthusiasm about making innovative EVs accessible across the continent.
Beyond the executive flattery and polished press release quotes, Stellantis and Leapmotor are doubling down on executive firepower. By aligning seasoned Stellantis veterans with Chinese EV tech, LPMI is laying the groundwork for a massive commercial offensive across Enlarged Europe and beyond.