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Chrysler Creates Separate Dodge Ram Brand
Chrysler Group LLC announced Monday that it is breaking out the Dodge Ram line of trucks as a separate brand from Dodge’s passenger car operation. With the change, Dodge Ram gets its own president and CEO.
Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne said the “unbundling” of the truck and car brands will allow the company to “protect and develop” the products offered across the Dodge nameplate.
Fred Diaz Jr. was named president and CEO of the Dodge Ram brand, with profit and loss responsibility for the truck line’s product portfolio. He will also be the organization’s lead sales executive in the U.S.
Diaz, a 20-year Chrysler veteran, previously served as director of the company’s Denver business center.
Separately, Ralph Gilles was named president and CEO of the Dodge car brand, and Olivier Francois was appointed president and CEO of the Chrysler brand.
Gilles adds this new title to his current post as head of Chrysler’s product design group.
Francois, meanwhile, joins Chrysler from parent company Fiat SpA, where he currently runs the Lancia brand. Francois will retain that responsibility.
Francois will also lead worldwide marketing for the Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge Ram and car brands.
Meanwhile, Joseph Veltri has been promoted to head of product planning on the corporate level. Veltri most recently served as head of product planning for Chrysler’s truck and SUV products.
Peter Fong resigned as head of the Chrysler brand for personal reasons, the company said. Former Dodge brand manager to Michael Accavitti resigned to “pursue other interests,” Chrysler said.