Stellantis Reshapes South American Leadership Team

Stellantis is shaking up its leadership structure once again, and this time the focus is on South America — a region that has quietly become one of the company’s biggest success stories in recent years. As CEO, Antonio Filosa continues tightening the bolts across global operations. Three major executive moves were announced to reinforce the company’s long-term strategy and keep Stellantis ahead in one of its most competitive markets.

To start, Fernando Varela has been tapped to lead Brazil’s Commercial Operations and oversee Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) across South America. Varela has spent more than two decades working his way through Groupe PSA and Stellantis, covering everything from finance and pricing to product launches and import operations. In the past few years alone, he led commercial operations for the Andina and Central America region and headed Leapmotor’s early push into Brazil and Chile. His new responsibilities put him at the center of the region’s most important volume and profit engines.

Meanwhile, Breno Kamei is returning to South America after spending the last few years in the United States guiding Jeep’s global product direction. Now stepping into the role of Senior Vice President of Brands and Marketing Management, Kamei will oversee a massive portfolio that includes Fiat, Abarth, Jeep®, Ram, Citroën, Peugeot, and Leapmotor, as well as the entire regional marketing performance arm. Kamei has been deeply involved in product planning, brand leadership, and strategic growth for nearly two decades — experience that will be crucial as Stellantis prepares for its next product and electrified offerings cycle in the region.

Rounding out the leadership update, Vincent Forissier has been appointed Head of Commercial Operations for Chile, Andina (the Andies), and Central America. Forissier brings nearly 30 years of PSA and Stellantis experience, including extensive work in product and market development across Europe and Latin America. Since 2018, he has helped shape Stellantis’ footprint in Chile, first as Country Manager and later as Head of Commercial Operations.

All three executives will report to Herlander Zola, President of Stellantis South America, who emphasized that these moves are about speed, integration, and maintaining Stellantis’ leadership position in one of its strongest regions.

This restructuring reflects Stellantis’ ongoing effort to stay aggressive in emerging markets, accelerate innovation, and keep pace with shifting customer needs across multiple brands. With a refreshed leadership team in place, the company is positioning itself for another strong chapter in South America’s fast-changing automotive landscape.