Automotive News Europe - January 5, 2009 - 15

January 5, 2009 www.autonewseurope.com · PAGE 15 Guide to Automaker Executives Photo: Oliver Schmauch Photo: Reuters Tadashi Arashima Toyota Motor Europe CEO 59 Challenges: It is unlikely that Toyota Europe will make a profit in its 2008-2009 fiscal year. It needs to start making money again in 2009-2010. Key new models such as the iQ need to be a success. Job at risk? No. But he could get called back to Toyota headquarters in Japan. John Fleming Ford of Europe Chairman 57 Challenges: Keep Ford of Europe profitable in a depressed market; continue expansion in Russia and eastern Europe; keep capacity in line with demand. Job at risk? No. Recently promoted; is credited with making European unit a profit machine. Carl-Peter Forster GM Europe President 54 Challenges: Cut GM’s European production and possibly close plants; get financial help from European governments. Job at risk? Maybe. He is at an ailing automaker so anything could happen. He may decide to go elsewhere, if GM’s outlook continues to deteriorate. Carlos Ghosn Renault-Nissan CEO 54 Challenges: Ensure successful launch of lower-medium Megane; renew momentum toward reaching goals for sales (3.3 million units) and operating margin (6%) by year-end. Job at risk? No. Will become Renault’s chairman of the board in May. Sergio Marchionne Fiat group CEO 56 Challenge: Create alliances that improve economies of scale and boost annual production to 6 million. Job at risk? No. Fiat will not fire man who turned around company. He wants to play a key role in a new round of auto industry consolidation. Norbert Reithofer BMW CEO 52 Challenges: Adapt production to cope with lower volumes expected in 2009 and 2010; continue to invest in fuel-efficient cars. Job at risk? No. Moved fast to halt production to avoid excess supply; has started ambitious restructuring program. Christian Streiff PSA/Peugeot-Citroen CEO 54 Challenges: Fight downturn in Europe, where PSA sells more than two-thirds of its cars; boost sales by 300,000 units to 3.2 million by year-end 2010. Job at risk? Maybe. Has the confidence of PSA’s board of directors, but health concerns linger following recent illness. Wendelin Wiedeking Porsche CEO 56 Challenges: Compete takeover of VW group despite resistance; find more ways for VW and Porsche to cooperate. Job at risk? Maybe. Has support from Porsche Chairman Wolfgang Porsche but clashes with Porsche’s cousin, VW supervisory board head Ferdinand Piëch. Martin Winterkorn Volkswagen group CEO 61 Challenges: Maintain peace with Porsche CEO Wendelin Wiedeking, who may soon be his boss; continue to increase VW group's sales and profits. Job at risk? No. VW is one of few volume carmakers not facing a massive downturn in 2009. Photo: dpa Dieter Zetsche Daimler CEO 56 Challenges: Investing in the right technologies to reduce CO2 emissions in Daimler's fleet of large, powerful cars; forming successful strategic partnerships with rivals such as BMW. Job at risk? No. He has the company moving in the right direction. Standing on thin ice? If they cannot spark revivals, some of Europe’s auto bosses could be facing big in trouble in 2009 Douglas A. Bolduc Automotive News Europe Despite a traumatic finish to 2008 because of the fallout from the global economic crisis, last year was extremely calm in one area: changes at the top. Most of the people who were leading Europe biggest automakers at the start of 2008 remain in charge today. The big question is: How many of those executives still will be in those posts at the start of 2010? If sales and production continue to slide as predicted and profits deteriorate further, there will be some CEOs looking for new jobs. When a company hires a new chief, that person usually likes to build a new team, which usually leads to even more turnover. Automaker bosses around the world are under pressure. They need to develop and launch solutions that protect their companies against an economic slowdown that many executives say is the worst they have seen. For some, the best solution may be to move to a new company. Analysts say that General Motors Europe President Carl-Peter Forster might decide to switch jobs because of the troubles facing GM in the US. At 54, Forster, who joined GM subsidiary Opel from BMW in 2001, might want to end his career at an automaker that is on the rise. While Forster is likely to have many options if he decides to leave GM, others might not be as fortunate. One current auto CEO acknowledges that the executives who cannot come up with the right ways out of the crisis will have to move aside. “Some people will lose their right to lead. Some of them have been leaders for a period of time that is well in excess of their capabilities,” Sergio Marchionne, Fiat group CEO, told Automotive News Europe. “And that may include me. I am cool and clinical about this. I recognize that the world has changed.” Above we look at the biggest challenges facing 10 Europe-based auto executives. We also provide predictions for each man’s future in his current position. Starting here and continuing on Pages 16 and 17 you will find a comprehensive list of the men and women who hold the most powerful ANE jobs in the European auto industry. ASTON MARTIN Banbury Road, Gaydon, Warwick CV35 0DB, England CEO Ulrich Bez Chief Operating Officer Jonathan Carling Director, Sales and Marketing Bill Donnelly Director, Finance David Hunsley Director, Manufacturing Keith Stanton Director, Product Development Ian Minards AVTOVAZ 36 Yuzhnoye Shosse, Togliatti 445024 Samara Region, Russia President Boris Sergeyevich Aleshin Executive Vice President Yann Vincent Secretary General Olga Vladlenovna Anchishkina Senior Vice President, Corporate Governance Eduard Karlovich Vaino Senior Vice President, Manufacturing Vitaliy Andreyevich Vilchik Senior Vice President, Cost Management Alain Carrere Senior Vice President, Security and Enforcement Boris Nikolayevich Danilov Senior Vice President, Purchasing Christian Muller Senior Vice President, Technical Development Maksim Valeriyevich Nagaitsev Senior Vice President, Staff Sergey Yuriyevich Naumov Senior Vice President, Finance and Economy Sergey Valeriyevich Fomin Senior Vice President, Planning Products and Programs Hugues Desmarchelier AUDI (Subsidiary of Volkswagen group) 85045 Ingolstadt, Germany Chairman Rupert Stadler Board member, Finance and Organisation Axel Strotbek Board member, Purchasing Ulf Berkenhagen Board member, Development Michael Dick Board member, Production Frank Dreves Board member, Human Resources Werner Widuckel Board member, Sales and Marketing Peter Schwarzenbauer For an extended, PDF version of our 2009 guide go to autonews.com/09europeguide 3 See Page 16

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Automotive News Europe - January 5, 2009

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