Antonio Filosa has identified inflation as the most serious risk the Middle East crisis could create for the auto industry over the coming months, shifting the focus away from the conflict’s immediate impact and toward the broader economic consequences that a long period of instability could bring.
Answering a question from ANSA, the Stellantis CEO said the group is monitoring the situation very closely because inflation remains a central indicator for the automotive sector, and its effects can hit both demand and the overall health of the business directly.
Antonio Filosa says inflation could become the biggest threat from the Middle East crisis
Filosa is not limiting his thinking to the current phase of volatility. He is looking ahead to what could happen if geopolitical tensions continue. He said he hopes the crisis will ease quickly, but he also made clear that even if the first effects remain limited, the risk of a heavier economic aftermath is still real. If instability continues, inflation could once again weigh on global economies for an extended period. At that point, the consequences for the car market would extend far beyond the regions directly involved in the conflict.
The issue matters even more for Stellantis because the group has a significant presence in the Gulf region. Filosa confirmed that the company is already dealing with some difficulties in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia and expects some volume losses there, although management still considers the situation manageable for now. Everything, however, will depend on how the geopolitical picture evolves and above all on how long this phase of uncertainty lasts, because the duration of the instability will determine whether inflation remains a temporary problem or turns into a more structural burden.
Filosa placed particular emphasis on that second level of the issue. He explained that inflation could produce either shorter or longer-lasting consequences depending on how long volatility continues to affect the economic system. For Stellantis, the Middle East crisis is therefore not just a geopolitical file to watch from a distance. It is also a factor that could shape the market conditions on which the group is building its plans for the months ahead.
