Carlos Tavares

Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis, is a self-described “petrol-head” whom colleagues view as a “Samurai” laser-focused on building competitive car brands. And for good reason. Tavares helped turn around the fortunes of the Peugeot-making PSA Group from the brink of bankruptcy after taking the helm in 2014. His reward? Taking on the legendary U.S. auto market. Since the 2021 merger with Fiat-Chrysler that created the $204 billion global giant Stellantis, Tavares has overseen the Jeep and Chrysler brands in addition to European big-hitters, earning more than $77 million in compensation in the process. The Portuguese CEO, who has often spoken of a “Darwinian” battle in the car industry, is on a daunting path to turn around the carmaker’s fortunes before he retires in 2026. Stellantis is dealing with a bloated inventory following unpopular price hikes, with profits nearly halving in the first half of 2024 to $5.6 billion. Alongside confirming his looming retirement, Tavares overhauled Stellantis’s C-suite as part of its continued reorganization.