Power List 100 2023 – Brand front-runners

Below the public-facing CEO is a hotbed of talent; they wield their own power, and have their own influence

Everyone knows the CEO of the company, the person who sits at the helm, is the one to make all the major decisions that shape a firm’s future.

But below them is a hotbed of talent, the brand front-runners, who wield their own power both within the company and outside. They make decisions on strategic direction and technology sourcing. 

We recognise the achievements of those within the Power List 100, sponsored by Keyloop. Within this list will come the future overall leaders of the automotive industry.

*Power List 100 2023 - Brand front-runners*

-*Ted Cannis, CEO, Ford Pro*-

Ted Cannis wields real influence at Ford. With an exceptional line-up of commercial vehicles to back him, he is busy demonstrating the profitability of connected services to customers. This year, he has also taken charge of Ford Customer Service Division, which handles global parts, services, accessories and customisation for all of Ford.

-*Thierry Koskas, CSMO, Stellantis; CEO, Citroen*-

In charge of sales and marketing for Stellantis, Thierry Koskas is responsible for the growth of over a dozen brands. In his additional role as Citroën CEO, he has been charged with reviving the French brand, whose sales and market shares have dipped recently. Past long-standing roles at Renault are sure to stand him in good stead.

-*Antonio Filosa, CEO, Jeep*-

Jeep’s new chief has big shoes to fill. Antonio Filosa succeeds Christian Meunier and, over the past three years, Meunier led one of the most dramatic transformations in the brand’s 80-year history. Filosa, previously COO of Stellantis South America, will look to continue Jeep’s push to become a full-EV brand by 2030.

-*Ralf Brandstätter, head of China, Volkswagen Group*-

Previously in charge of Volkswagen Passenger Cars for a number of years, Ralf Brandstätter runs VW’s largest market by some distance in his role as head of China. His success is absolutely vital for VW. A recent tie-up with Chinese firm Xpeng to co-develop two mid-sized Volkswagen EVs will bolster its plans there.

-*Linda Jackson, CEO, Peugeot*-

After six years as Citroën CEO and a year in charge of brand portfolio development at the PSA Group, Linda Jackson was always going to be a key player in Stellantis’s executive line-up. Inheriting ascending Peugeot, which accounts for a fifth of Stellantis’s global volume, Jackson is growing it internationally and improving customer service.

-*Jean-Philippe Imparato, CEO, Alfa Romeo*-

The effervescent Frenchman turned Peugeot around, crucially with healthy profit margins. Throw in his 30 years of experience, much of it around sales and quality control, and Imparato was deemed the right man to work his magic at Alfa Romeo. He has already brought Alfa in the black once more, and sales are increasing too, helped significantly by the Tonale small SUV.

-*Olivier Francois, CEO, Fiat; global chief marketing officer, Stellantis*-

Fiat CEO Olivier François kept his job as brand boss when Stellantis fused FCA and PSA (and he took on the top marketing job). It’s been a tumultuous 12 years in power for him, but now with his leadership and the right backing, Fiat is starting to shine again. Last year, it easily beat Peugeot to be Stellantis’s biggest-selling brand.

-*Florian Huettl, CEO, Opel-Vauxhall*-

It was a rapid rise for Florian Huettl, who had not long been head of sales and marketing at Opel-Vauxhall before being given the top job in May 2022. Sales and market share were down last year, due to “transportation issues”, but Huettl is still leading a profitable brand that remains an important piece of the Stellantis puzzle.   

-*Thomas Schäfer, CEO, Volkswagen Brand; board member, Volkswagen Group*-

Since taking the role last year, Thomas Schäfer has been firmly focused on making VW a brand consumers love again, following Dieselgate and ID vehicle issues. He has shown he can change VW’s course quickly and effectively. However, there is much to be done and he is overseeing dramatic belt-tightening – £8.6bn over the next three years.

-*Denis Le Vot, CEO, Dacia*-

Dacia’s leader is riding high after phenomenal success in Europe last year, when the Renault- owned brand gained its highest market share yet, at 7.6%, against a market downturn. Capitalising on the increasing need for affordable car ownership, Le Vot is expanding Dacia’s electrified offering. Earlier this year, he was added to the Renault Group’s overall leadership team.

-*Jim Rowan, CEO, Volvo Cars*-

In appointing former Dyson CEO Jim Rowan, Volvo was looking for a different type of leader to replace Håkan Samuelsson’s successful decade-long tenure. The Brit’s belief that software and silicon lead the automotive race is one that much of the industry is only now catching up with. He has already opened a tech hub in Stockholm and is also implementing major cost-cutting measures.

-*Ho Sung Song, president, CEO, Kia*-

Appointed in March 2020, Ho Sung Song achieved what many of his peers didn’t: a strong semiconductor supply. That, plus a forward- looking line-up of largely EVs, meant Kia sales grew to 2.9m in 2022, up 4.6% year on year. Since his arrival, Kia has transformed its logo, product, design and strategy. Its subsequent success makes Sung Song a major global player.

*How are the 100 names in Autocar's Power List chosen?*

The Power List ranks the world's 100 most influential automotive heads, based on the following criteria: global reach and influence, spending power, share of voice, technological influence, future growth potential and market capitalisation. 

The top 10 are ranked and the remaining 90 names on the list are grouped into categories, including executives from more traditional car makers to the rising powerhouses from China and the latest technology and mobility companies. 

These names were chosen by the editors of Autocar Business, the B2B product from the publisher of Autocar, designed to bring industry readers even closer to the inner workings and key players of the global automotive industry.

*The full list is now available to download here.*