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The nomination of Mike Manley as CEO of Fiat Chrysler marks a turning position for the carmaker, putting a brand name with historic Italian roots in the hands of a person with no ties to Italy — a Brit who showed his mettle by growing the quintessentially American Jeep into a world brand name.
Manley has been a single of the closest collaborators with the firm’s longtime leader Sergio Marchionne and experienced been observed as a feasible successor since Marchionne declared in January that he prepared to step down upcoming calendar year. These strategies had been pushed up Saturday following Marchionne’s health and fitness deteriorated subsequent operation.
The 54-year-old Manley also headed the Ram truck manufacturer, which alongside one another with Jeep have been the focus of Fiat Chrysler’s development system in North The united states, whose current market represents two-thirds of Fiat Chrysler’s earnings.
“The good results of the Jeep brand beneath Mike Manley and his global track record make him the smart decision to be the new head of FCA,” explained Karl Brauer, executive publisher of Autotrader and Kelley Blue Guide. “His global encounter in growing that brand name will engage in a essential purpose as he applies all those tactics to all of the Fiat Chrysler divisions.”
Manley experienced joined the organization in 2000. He took about administration of the Jeep brand name in 2009, just soon after Chrysler emerged from bankruptcy defense funded by the U.S. federal government. At the time, the all-SUV Jeep largely was a U.S. brand name, in which gross sales languished at close to 232,000 for the calendar year.
By 2017, though, profits experienced just about quadrupled to a lot more than 828,000 as Americans snapped up all-wheel-travel SUVs. The manufacturer also grew internationally, particularly in China, under Manley, and has a challenging target of hitting 2 million in profits worldwide this 12 months.
Manley stayed at the business through tumultuous situations when other executives were being ousted, and his roles were being expanded since he done, said Autotrader.com analyst Michelle Krebs.
“He’s small-essential and the opposite of Sergio,” she mentioned. “He just went about his organization.”
Krebs attended Fiat Chrysler’s 5-yr organization prepare unveiling in Italy previously this yr. “A significant element of it was the Mike Manley display,” Krebs reported. “My perception is he assisted create the prepare.”
Krebs doesn’t see any significant changes in the way FCA is run below Manley, but says the business does encounter issues as the U.S. vehicle marketplace cools down a little bit just after history gross sales.
The business also will have to deal with attainable tariffs imposed on cars and parts both by the U.S. and in retaliation from other countries. Fiat Chrysler exports Jeeps and other autos from the U.S., and it also imports some of its models from Italy and Mexico, specially the rising Alfa Romeo activity luxury brand, she stated.
Manley has a master’s diploma in business administration from Ashridge Administration College. He was born in Edenbridge, Excellent Britain.
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