- Luca de Meo leaves Renault Group after spending five successful years as CEO.
- The executive led the Renaulution turnaround plan, focusing on electrification.
- De Meo is expected to join luxury group Kering, owner of fashion brand Gucci.
After years of shaking up the auto world, Luca de Meo is officially calling it quits at the Renault Group . The man credited with dragging the French automaker into the modern era is stepping down as CEO, opting to chase “new challenges outside the automotive sector.” His resignation takes effect on July 15, marking the end of a five-year run that many consider both ambitious and unexpectedly successful.
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De Meo joined Renault at a critical time and quickly rolled out the sweeping “Renaulution” strategy in 2021. The plan brought a string of new EVs and hybrids to market, including the retro-styled Renault 5 hatchback, and signaled a major shift by reimagining Alpine as an EV-only performance brand. Meanwhile, the low-cost Dacia lineup expanded under his watch, reinforcing Renault’s reach in budget-conscious markets.
A Sudden Exit, But Not Without a Plan
The Board of Directors has thanked de Meo for his leadership and confirmed that the process of appointing a new CEO is already underway, guided by an existing succession plan. The identity of the next chief executive will be announced in due course, though no exact date has been given.
French newspaper Le Figaro reports that the 58-year-old executive will join the luxury group Kering, which owns fashion brands Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent, Bottega Veneta, Balenciaga, and Alexander McQueen. Kering shares have dipped 77% since the all-time-high of 2021, meaning that the new boss has to come up with a turnaround plan.
In a parting statement, de Meo reflected on his time at Renault. “There comes a time in one’s life when one knows the job is done,” he said. “At Renault Group, we have faced immense challenges in less than five years. We have achieved what many thought impossible. Today, the results speak for themselves: they are the best in our history.”
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He also expressed confidence in Renault’s future direction. “We have a strong team and an agile organization. We also have a strategic plan ready for the next generation of products,” he added. “That is why I have decided it is time for me to hand over the baton. I am leaving a transformed company, poised for the future, to apply my experience to other sectors and embark on new adventures.”
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Before joining Renault, de Meo held key leadership roles at several major automakers, including CEO positions at Seat and Cupra within the Volkswagen Group, as well as Fiat, Abarth, and Alfa Romeo during his earlier tenure at FCA (Fiat Chrysler Automobiles).
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