Jeep, Ram receive new CEOs in latest Stellantis shake-up

Stellantis has announced that two of its most successful brands will be helmed by new leadership in the latest shakeup of the automaker’s executive structure. Effectively immediately, Matt VanDyke will take over duties from Tim Kuniskis at Ram, while Branden Coté will succeed Bob Broderdorf amid ongoing medical leave for the longtime Jeep executive.

The hiring decisions come as part of Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa’s reorganization efforts, which have been a major cornerstone of his leadership following the unceremonious departure of his predecessor Carlos Tavares. VanDyke will step into the role previously served by Tim Kuniskis, who has been doing double duty as Ram CEO and head of all of Stellantis’ American brands since last year. VanDyke will still report directly to Kuniskis as he retains his broader role among North American leadership. VanDyke seems like a sensible fit for the role, having spent more than 20 years working in senior positions in marketing, sales, product planning, and motorsports. His new role begins effective immediately.

Branden Coté’s promotion is slightly different, as Jeep’s current CEO Bob Broderdorf has stepped aside as part of a medical leave. Coté will take over the brand with the seven-barred grille on August 3, and is also slated to report directly to Kuniskis. Broderdorf is not being moved out of the company, however; Stellantis has confirmed that there will be a different executive position waiting for the long-time industry veteran as soon as he is ready to return to work.

“Matt and Branden are proven leaders who will build on our successes and take these iconic American brands to the next level,” Kuniskis said in a press release about the hirings. “Their skills and deep industry experience align with our simple – but very important – customer-centric objective: to provide people with the brands and products they love and trust. I also want to thank Bob Broderdorf for his exceptional leadership of Jeep. Bob is a dedicated and valued colleague, and a friend to many across the Company. I look forward to continuing our work together when he takes on his new role.”

These changes come at a critical time for Stellantis. As the two largest drivers of profit within the portfolio, Jeep and Ram are crucial for the automaker’s financial viability. Jeep has been slowly working its way back from a foray into declining sales, whereas Ram is gearing up for a product blitz. These new hires should allow Kuniskis to turn his attention squarely towards strategy as he’ll no longer be burdened by day-to-day operations. Given that Kuniskis will ultimately still be in charge of the North American brands, Ram and Jeep are unlikely to miss out on his influence any time soon.