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Luca de Meo

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Luca de Meo
Born (1967-06-13) 13 June 1967 (age 57)
Milan, Lombardy, Italy
NationalityItalian
EducationBocconi University
OccupationCEO of Renault Group
Awards"Commendatore" by the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic

Chevalier de la Légion d'honneur (2023)

Cavaliere al Merito del Lavoro in Italy
Notes

Luca de Meo (born 13 June 1967) is an Italian automotive executive who is currently the CEO of Renault Group.[5]

Early life and education

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Born in Milan in 1967 to parents originating from the Puglia region,[6][7][8] de Meo received a degree in Business Administration from Bocconi University in Milan. In his thesis he examined business ethics, which was one of the first dissertations on this subject in Italy.[9] De Meo developed a passion for cars at the age of seven. He was intrigued by the Italian pilot Arnaldo Cavallari, who took de Meo for a ride in his Lancia Fulvia HF.[10][6]

Career

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Automotive sector

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De Meo has more than thirty years of experience in the automotive sector. He began his career at Renault, from 1992 to 1998, in Italy then France,[11] prior to joining Toyota Europe.[7]

Fiat Group

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In 2002, he joined the Fiat Group, where he was Head of Business Units of the brand Lancia,[12] before he was appointed by Sergio Marchionne as CEO of Fiat Automobiles and later of Alfa Romeo. He also served as Chief Marketing Officer of Fiat Group from 2007 to 2009.[6] He was also the CEO of Abarth.[13] During his time at Fiat, Luca de Meo led the Fiat 500 project and revived the Abarth brand.[14][15]

The re-launch of Fiat 500 in 2007 is usually attributed to him. Also, the success of its revival tends to be accredited to Luca de Meo. The model is considered to be the one that 'saved' Fiat.[16][17] In 2022, the model produced in 2007 recorded more than 3 million vehicles sold.[18]

Volkswagen Group

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De Meo joined the Volkswagen Group in 2009,[19] as Marketing Director of the Volkswagen brand and of the Volkswagen Group, prior to taking up the position of board of management member for sales and marketing at Audi AG. He was a member of the Supervisory Boards of Ducati and Lamborghini as well as Chairman of the Board of the Volkswagen Group in Italy and Spain.[11][20]

He was President of SEAT S.A. (including SEAT & Cupra) from November 2015 to January 2020.[21] Luca de Meo spent four years developing Volkswagen's brand, to make it reach a high operating profit in 2017.[22] That year, SEAT increased its operating profit by 24.8% and delivered 468,400 cars. In 2018, that growth was sustained and further increased by 23.1%.[22][23] He also expanded the brand in Latin America.[24] In 2019, SEAT registered its 'historical' sales record, with over 574,000 sold cars.[25] 2019 was also the year when Luca de Meo introduced the new Leon.[23]

Under his presidency, the brand entered the SUV category, with the models Ateca, Arona and Tarraco.[26]

He also launched the Cupra brand, with the first model being a sports SUV: the Cupra Formentor.[27] Cupra is the brand that helped SEAT return to profitability.[28][29][30]

Renault Group

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In January 2020, it was announced that he would be the CEO of Renault Group effective July 2020.[31][32]

In 2020, he entrusted the brand Dacia, whose positioning he aspired to readjust, to Denis le Vot.[33][34]

In January 2021, de Meo presented "Renaulution", the new strategic plan for Renault Group articulated in three phases: Resurrection, Renovation and Revolution.[35][36] The plan seeks to develop Renault's brands and their vehicles[37][38] and make an electric transition.[39][40] In 2022, it was announced that Renault Group started to witness a financial improvement and de Meo managed to turn around the company in 18 months.[41] Accordingly, better financial results for 2021 were released, they included a 6% increase in revenues and a net profit approaching one billion (€967 million).[42]

In November 2022, on the occasion of Renault Group's "Capital Market Day",[43] he announced a reorganization of the Group into five divisions, including Ampere a subsidiairy dedicated to electric cars.[44][45][46]

In January 2022, he officially announced the construction of the future electric SUV at the Alpine factory in Dieppe.[47][48] Luca de Meo intends to occupy the high-segment with this brand,[49] relaunched as part of the second version of the Renaulution plan.[50]

In January 2023, Luca de Meo completed the first phase of his "Renaulution" program in less than two years.[51] In 2023, de Meo's strategy was bringing about results as Renault's operating margin increased to 5.6% for the past year, compared to only 2.8% in 2021.[52] When he first joined Renault Group, the company was losing €8 billion.[53][54] Two and a half years after, Luca de Meo managed to make the Group witness a financial recovery.[53]

Luca de Meo aims at making Renault become a 100% electric brand by 2030 in Europe.[55][56] Overall, Renault Group, led by de Meo, seeks to become carbon-neutral in Europe by 2040 and worldwide by 2050.[57]

In February 2023, he introduced a plan for the production of Renault electric vehicles in France.[58]

In 2023, he unveils the new Formula 1 single-seater Alpine in London.[59] The same year, it is announced that Alpine is currently in talks with AutoNation, a US distributor.[60]

In the sports segment, Alpine grew by 33% in 2022.[61][62]

Academic sector

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De Meo is a multilingual[7] who speaks Italian, English, French,[32] German[63] and Spanish. He is a teaching fellow at SDA Bocconi School of Management,[64] of which he is also Alumnus of the Year in 2017.[65]

Other activities

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De Meo was a member of the Supervisory Board of Ducati and Lamborghini from 2015 to 2020.[66]

Luca de Meo was an Independent Member of the Board of Directors of Gruppo TIM until 2022.[67]

In December 2022, Luca de Meo was elected to chair the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) in 2023,[20] succeeding the President of BMW Group, Oliver Zipse.[68] As the President of ACEA, Luca de Meo asserted the need for measures that would support the association's aim of 'decarbonization' to be able to defy the 'growing global competition'.[69] He also addressed the industry's devotion to supporting 'e-mobility' and guaranteeing 'value creation and jobs', particularly in Europe.[69]

As the President of ACEA, Luca de Meo emphasized the 'deindustrialization' and 'relocation' of the automotive industry.[70] In January 2023, in an open letter, he expressed the automotive industry's urgent need for an 'ambitious' and 'structured' automotive industrial policy by the EU to compete with other regions in the world.[71] De Meo also highlights the importance of developing European electric vehicles. Accordingly, he called for the necessity of regional European support in terms of measures to maintain the competitive nature of the European automotive industry.[71]

Awards and reception

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In July 2015,[72][73] de Meo was named "commendatore" by the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic, and Harvard University dedicated a case study to him in 2013, for his work in the Volkswagen Group as Marketing Director.[74]

In 2017, he was named Bocconi Alumnus of the Year, for representing the university values of professionalism, initiative, integrity, responsibility and openness to pluralism.[9] His competences in leadership are said to be in marketing, product planning, having attention to detail and avoiding conflict, while he lacks an engineering background.[75][63] His personality has been described as collegial, humorous and culturally adaptive.[63]

In November 2019, he was provided the "Entrepreneur of the Year Medal of Honour" by the Catalan Employers.[76]

In March 2021, King Felipe VI of Spain awarded him with the Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic.[77]

In 2022, he was appointed as 'Cavaliere del Lavoro' by a presidential decree in Italy.[78]

In December 2022, Luca de Meo received the Chevalier (Knight) rank of the French Legion of honor.[79]

Publications

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  • Da 0 a 500. Storie vissute, idee e consigli da uno dei manager più dinamici della nuova generazione[80] (De Meo, Luca. "From 0 to 500: lived stories, ideas and advice from one of the most dynamic managers of the new generation" Marsilio, 2010.)
  • Dictionnaire amoureux de l'automobile (Dictionary of Automotive Love)[81]

Personal life

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De Meo is married to Silvia Goracci and has two sons.[8][82][83]

See also

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  • L'Argus (automobiles French magazine)

References

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  1. ^ "Luca David Antonio de Meo (1967 – Francia)". Il Sole 24 Ore. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  2. ^ "Luca De Meo nominato Cavaliere del Lavoro da Sergio Mattarella". Gazzetta. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  3. ^ "Renault. Luca de Meo décoré de la Légion d'honneur au Technocentre". L'Argus. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  4. ^ "INFO EUROPE 1 - Le directeur général de Renault va recevoir la Légion d'honneur". Europe 1. Retrieved October 26, 2023.
  5. ^ "Biography Luca de Meo - Groupe Renault". group.renault.com. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  6. ^ a b c "Les petits secrets de Luca de Meo, successeur de Carlos Ghosn". Capital. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  7. ^ a b c "Qui est Luca De Meo, l'envoûteur futur directeur général de Renault ?". Challenges. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  8. ^ a b Carretto, Bianca (2020-01-13). "Chi è Luca de Meo, l'italiano che si prepara a guidare la Renault". Corriere della Sera (in Italian). Retrieved 2021-01-14.
  9. ^ a b "Luca de Meo is the 2017 Bocconi Alumnus of the Year". www.viasarfatti25.unibocconi.eu. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  10. ^ "Chi è Luca De Meo, l'ex pupillo di Marchionne scelto per guidare Renault". Forbes. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  11. ^ a b "Les Barons de la Bourse". Zonebourse. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  12. ^ "Renault : Luca De Meo, messie… en terrain miné !". The Good Life. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  13. ^ "DE MEO APPOINTED CEO OF ALFA ROMEO". Stellantis. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  14. ^ "The CAR inquisition: Seat's new boss, Luca de Meo, on the company's future". Car Magazine. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  15. ^ "Qui est Luca de Meo, le patron qui voit Seat en grand". La Tribune. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  16. ^ "Qui est Luca de Meo, l'homme qui dirige désormais Renault ?". Radio Classique. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  17. ^ "Renault : Luca de Meo, un " génie du marketing " pour redémarrer". Les Echos. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  18. ^ "La Fiat 500 nouvelle génération : déjà trois millions d'unités en 15 ans". Challenges. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  19. ^ "Luca de Meo". Les Echos. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  20. ^ a b "Luca de Meo, PDG de Renault Group, sera président de l'ACEA l'année prochaine". MotorsActu. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  21. ^ "Volkswagen says Luca de Meo steps down as CEO of Seat". Reuters. 7 January 2020. Retrieved 15 January 2020.
  22. ^ a b "Highest operating profit in history". SEAT. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  23. ^ a b "Qui est Luca de Meo, le patron qui voit Seat en grand". La Tribune. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  24. ^ "Renault : l'ancien patron de Seat, Luca de Meo, va succéder à Thierry Bolloré". Le Parisien. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  25. ^ "Qui est Luca de Meo, le nouveau patron de Renault?". BFM Business. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  26. ^ "Seat enregistre les meilleurs résultats de son histoire". Les Echos. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  27. ^ "Cupra Formentor : la sportive de Luca De Meo, nouveau DG de Renault". Challenges. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  28. ^ "Marges, marketing… Avec Cupra, le groupe Volkswagen a trouvé sa recette pour sauver Seat". Le Monde. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  29. ^ "PORTRAIT-L'Italien De Meo, un ancien de Renault pour ouvrir l'ère post-Ghosn". Reuters. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  30. ^ "Cupra : un SUV hispano-allemand qui donne un plaisir fou". Challenges. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  31. ^ Ewing, Jack; Alderman, Liz (January 28, 2020). "Renault Chooses Volkswagen Executive as New C.E.O." The New York Times.
  32. ^ a b "Renault chooses VW's Luca De Meo as new CEO". France 24. 28 January 2020.
  33. ^ "Chez Renault, la stratégie de Luca de Meo pour "passer d'une politique de volumes à celle de la valeur"". L'Usine Nouvelle. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  34. ^ "Luca de Meo imprime déjà sa marque chez Renault". Les Echos. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  35. ^ ""Renaulution", c'est plutôt réduction, coopération et résurrection". Le Point. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  36. ^ "Renault et la Renaulution, le plan de la dernière chance". La Tribune. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  37. ^ "Luca De Meo : "Renault a besoin de renouer avec ses racines"". Challenges. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  38. ^ "Renault veut créer en France "l'équivalent de 8 milliards" d'euros de PIB par an". Le Figaro. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  39. ^ "Luca de Meo (Renault) : Transition électrique, va-t-on trop vite ? - 09/11". BFM TV. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  40. ^ "Luca de Meo : l'homme des paris audacieux pour Renault". Les Echos. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  41. ^ "Renault réussit son redressement en vendant moins de voitures". Le Monde. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  42. ^ "Amélioration spectaculaire des comptes de Renault, bénéficiaire après deux ans de pertes". Le Monde. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  43. ^ "Renault officialise la séparation de ses activités électriques et thermiques". L'Usine Nouvelle. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  44. ^ "Avec sa nouvelle organisation, Renault veut se diviser pour mieux innover". L'Usine Nouvelle. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  45. ^ "Renault : ce que pensent les analystes du big bang de Luca de Meo". Les Echos. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  46. ^ "Les investisseurs se demandent si cinq Renault valent mieux qu'un". L'Usine Nouvelle. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  47. ^ "Luca de Meo, directeur général de Renault: "Il faut construire quelque chose d'absolument parfait à Dieppe"". Paris-Normandie. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  48. ^ "Renault : Luca de Meo électrise Alpine , l'usine de Dieppe sauve sa peau". La Tribune. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  49. ^ "Renault : les secrets de la marque sportive Alpine pour redémarrer en trombe". Capital. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  50. ^ "Le futur d'Alpine annoncé, avec des surprises !". Automobile Magazine. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  51. ^ "Renault, qui fait déjà beaucoup mieux que le Cac 40 depuis trois ans, en a sous le capot pour gagner encore 50%, selon les prévisions de la banque Oddo BHF". Les Echos. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  52. ^ "Renault : fin de semaine de retour sur les 40 euros". Boursier. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  53. ^ a b "Renault réussit son redressement en vendant moins de voitures". Le Monde. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  54. ^ "Luca de Meo". Les Echos. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  55. ^ "Renault frappe fort en visant 100% de voitures électriques en 2030". La Tribune. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  56. ^ "Renault vise le 100 % électrique en Europe en 2030". Les Echos. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  57. ^ "RENAULT vise la neutralité carbone en Europe en 2040 et dans le monde en 2050". Capital. Retrieved 10 September 2023.
  58. ^ "Voitures électriques de Renault produites en France : "Une stratégie pour recentrer", la marque "sur son pays d'origine", défend son directeur général Luca de Meo". France Info. Retrieved 12 August 2023.
  59. ^ "Alpine, la marque chouchou du directeur de Renault Luca De Meo, vise un podium en F1". Challenges. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  60. ^ "Comment Alpine veut séduire les Américains". Entreprendre. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  61. ^ "Alpine. Luca de Meo veut engager la marque au Dakar et en WRC !". L'Argus. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  62. ^ "Renault : Alpine vers le tout électrique pour atteindre la rentabilité d'ici 2026". Challenges. Retrieved 23 October 2023.
  63. ^ a b c "Luca de Meo: 'Cultural sponge' takes 'job from hell' at Renault". Financial Times. 21 February 2020.
  64. ^ "Luca de Meo". SDA Bocconi School of Management.
  65. ^ "Luca de Meo is the 2017 Bocconi Alumnus of the Year". Via Sarfatti 25. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  66. ^ "Luca de Meo (Renault) nommé à la présidence de l'ACEA en 2023". L'Argus. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  67. ^ "Luca De Meo, le DG de Renault, quitte le conseil d'administration de Telecom Italia". Les Echos. Retrieved 10 June 2023.
  68. ^ "Quatre usines Renault risqueraient la fermeture à cause des normes Euro 7, selon Luca de Meo". L'Usine Nouvelle. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  69. ^ a b "Luca de Meo, CEO of Renault Group, to serve as ACEA President next year". ACEA. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  70. ^ "Luca de Meo appelle Bruxelles à lutter contre la désindustrialisation et les délocalisations dans l'automobile". Challenges. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  71. ^ a b "Industrie automobile. Luca de Meo appelle à une politique européenne ambitieuse". L'Argus. Retrieved 26 October 2023.
  72. ^ "Audi: Luca de Meo receives honorary title "Commendatore al Merito della Repubblica Italiana"". Automotive World. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  73. ^ "Luca de Meo, nuovo CEO di Renault". Bocconi Alumni. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  74. ^ Hill, Linda A.; Teppert, Dana M. (30 April 2013). "Luca de Meo at Volkswagen Group" – via www.hbs.edu. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  75. ^ Nussbaum, Ania; Rauwald, Christoph (21 November 2019). "Marchionne's One-Time Protege De Meo Leads Renault CEO Race". Bloomberg.
  76. ^ "On vous présente Luca de Meo, le futur directeur général de Renault". Capital. Retrieved 17 July 2023.
  77. ^ "Real Decreto 165/2021, de 16 de marzo, por el que se concede la Gran Cruz de la Orden de Isabel la Católica al señor Luca de Meo, presidente y consejero delegado de Renault". boe.es. Retrieved 2021-03-17.
  78. ^ "Cavalieri del Lavoro 2022, da Balbinot a De Meo: le 25 nomine di Mattarella". Milano Finanza. Retrieved 16 July 2023.
  79. ^ "Décret du 29 décembre 2022 portant promotion et nomination dans l'ordre national de la Légion d'honneur". Légifrance. Retrieved 8 August 2023.
  80. ^ De Meo, Luca. Da 0 a 500. Storie vissute, idee e consigli da uno dei manager più dinamici della nuova generazione. ASIN 8831707329.
  81. ^ "Luca de Meo: From the automotive world to the literary universe".
  82. ^ "Foment pide a las autoridades el fin de los actos violentos y las coacciones". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 2019-11-19. Retrieved 2021-01-14.
  83. ^ "Meeting between Luca de Meo, CEO Groupe Renault & Romain Lanéry, YouTuber | Groupe Renault". YouTube. 20 November 2020.
[edit]
Business positions
Preceded by CEO of Renault
2020–present 		Incumbent
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