Carlos Zarlenga Takes Helm As Stellantis North American COO

Stellantis has officially announced a significant leadership change in its North American operations. Effective February 1, 2024, Carlos Zarlenga will step into the role of Chief Operating Officer (COO) for North America, succeeding Mark Stewart.

Carlos Zarlenga, a seasoned leader with over a decade of experience in the automotive industry across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA), Asia Pacific, and Latin America, brings a wealth of expertise to his new position. Having joined Stellantis in 2022 as the President of Stellantis Mexico, Zarlenga has demonstrated exceptional performance, delivering year-on-year improvements in sales, market share, and Adjusted Operating Income (AOI). His leadership has contributed to achieving the highest profit levels ever recorded in Mexico.

Zarlenga’s appointment comes as Stellantis aims to navigate the challenging North American market and drive the company’s business model toward electrification in the region. Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis, expressed confidence in Zarlenga’s ability to lead the charge in overcoming obstacles and fostering performance. Tavares highlighted Zarlenga’s track record of bringing together diverse teams and delivering outstanding results.

“In the very demanding North American market with many obstacles to overcome in order to foster the performance of the Company, Carlos Zarlenga is the best leader among our talent pool to replace Mark Stewart and to drive the change in our business model towards electrification in the region. Carlos Zarlenga has demonstrated his ability to bring together and unite diverse teams and to deliver the expected results. I would like to thank Mark Stewart for his contribution to this role after a three-year cycle, corresponding to the date of creation of Stellantis, and I wish him the best in his new position,” commented Tavares.

Sources close to MoparInsiders.com have indicated that Mark Stewart announced his resignation in December. It has been revealed that Stewart will be stepping into a CEO position for another undisclosed company on January 29th, marking the end of his three-year cycle as COO of North America for Stellantis.

The transition reflects Stellantis’ commitment to adapting to evolving market demands and embracing the shift toward electrification. Carlos Zarlenga’s strategic vision and leadership skills are expected to play a pivotal role in unleashing the potential of Stellantis’ iconic American brands portfolio in close collaboration with their respective CEOs.