The surprising departure of Luca de Meo as CEO of Renault has initiated the “race” for his successor, with some analysts contacted by “Reuters” pointing to two well-regarded names to fill the vacancy left by Luca de Meo.
According to the same source, Denis Le Vot, CEO of Dacia, and Maxime Picat from rival Stellantis, are seen as the leading candidates to continue the work initiated by Luca de Meo in reviving the French car manufacturer.
Maxime Picat is the current director of global purchasing and supply chains at Stellantis, and was viewed as a candidate to replace Carlos Tavares as CEO of the world’s fourth-largest car manufacturer, having lost the race to Antonio Filosa.
Denis Le Vot is currently the CEO of Dacia, a position he has held since May 2022, and is well acquainted with the Renault Group, having joined after finishing university.
Analysts from the French brokerage “Kepler Cheuvreux” told “Reuters” that both candidates could be potential successors, while the analyst from “JP Morgan”, José Asumendi, highlighted Renault’s ability to recruit a new CEO from within, relying on a good range of managers, including those at Dacia.
Despite this, the work awaiting the new CEO of the Renault Group will not be easy, after five years of management by Luca de Meo, who revitalized the French brand and reshaped the strategic alliance with Nissan. However, like other companies in the sector, Renault is facing increasing competition from Chinese rivals, particularly in electric mobility.
The coming times will reveal whether Denis Le Vot or Maxime Picat, both French, may take the position of CEO of the Renault Group, or if the choice will fall on another name.
