Stellantis Announces Leadership Changes For North America Market!

Stellantis North America (FCA US, LLC) announced last week some management changes to its North American engineering and customer experience organizations.

Mark Champine will now oversee key product development initiatives as Head of the North America Engineering Technical Centers, while David McDonald will succeed Champine, guiding quality-improvement activities as Head of Customer Experience – North America.

In his new capacity, Champine will direct the region’s engineering resources to ensure timely vehicle launches that deliver on the potential of numerous advanced technologies in the company’s pipeline. He reports to Chief Engineering Officer Harald J. Wester.

McDonald will continue the company’s efforts to further enhance customer satisfaction, which has manifested itself in historic vehicle-quality achievements. He reports to Mark Stewart, Stellantis North America COO.

“Mark and David bring intensity and a wealth of engineering discipline to these core functions, as we lean into our Dare Forward plan and its promise of transforming Stellantis into a sustainable mobility tech company,” Stewart said.

Champine replaces Jessica Lafond, who has left the company to pursue opportunities outside the auto industry.
 
Champine has been Head of Customer Experience – North America since Stellantis was formed in 2021, having led the company’s previous quality organization since 2018. His tenure has been marked by increasing levels of recognition for performance metrics that range from dealer service to brand loyalty.
 
Champine also serves as executive sponsor of the company’s DiverseAbilities Network business resource group, one of 11 such organizations pursuing projects that enhance the work culture at Stellantis. He joined the company in 1996.

McDonald returns to the customer experience group from a leadership role in safety engineering. He supervised key aspects of vehicle production in two previous assignments, most recently as Director of Vehicle Assembly Quality.
 
McDonald performed multiple engineering roles before serving as Chief Engineer for the L-platform full-size cars, including the iconic Chrysler 300 (LX), and for the Jeep® Grand Cherokee (WK2) – the industry’s most awarded SUV – from 2013-2016. He joined the company in 1993 as an engineering graduate-in-training.