Renault SA named Luca de Meo as chief executive officer. The 52-year-old Italian will take up the role on July 1, the French carmaker said in a statement. De Meo, who helped turn around Volkswagen AG‘s Spanish arm, emerged as a frontrunner in November following the ouster of his predecessor, Ghosn protege Thierry Bollore.

Following the selection process led by the Governance and Compensation Committee, the Board of Directors, under the chairmanship of Jean-Dominique Senard, made the decision to appoint Luca de Meo as Chief Executive Officer of Renault S.A., and Chairman of Renault s.a.s., effective July 1, 2020.

The Board of Directors considered that Luca de Meo, through his career, his experience and his success in his previous functions, combines all the qualities to contribute to all aspects of Groupe Renault’s development and transformation.

Clotilde Delbos, Interim Chief Executive Officer of Renault S.A. will continue to assume her functions until Luca de Meo takes office. In addition, the Board of Directors gave a favorable opinion on her appointment to the position of Deputy Chief Executive Officer of Renault S.A., effective July 1, 2020.

Jean-Dominique Senard, Chairman of the Board of Directors, said: Luca de Meo is a great strategist and visionary of a rapidly changing automotive world. His expertise but also his passion for cars make him a real asset for the Group. I also thank Clotilde Delbos who provides interim management of the Group in an exceptional manner. 

Born in Italy in Milan in 1967, Luca de Meo graduated in business administration at the Luigi Bocconi Commercial University in Milan. Luca de Meo began his career at Renault before joining Toyota Europe, then the Fiat Group where he managed the Lancia, Fiat and Alfa Romeo brands. He has more than 20 years of experience in the automotive sector.

Luca de Meo joined the Volkswagen Group in 2009 as Marketing Director, both for passenger cars of the Volkswagen brand and for the Volkswagen Group. He then held the position of member of the Board of Directors in charge of Sales and Marketing at AUDI AG in 2012.