Stellantis Appoints Matt VanDyke as Ram CEO and Branden Coté as Jeep CEO
Stellantis named Matt VanDyke CEO of Ram and Branden Coté CEO of Jeep, effective July 20 and August 3 respectively, as part of CEO Antonio Filosa's growth strategy.
- July 20, 2026
- August 3, 2026
- 20 years
What Happened
Stellantis has appointed two veteran automotive executives to lead its Ram and Jeep brands. Matt VanDyke becomes CEO of Ram, effective July 20, succeeding Tim Kuniskis, who was named head of American brands in July 2025. Branden Coté becomes CEO of Jeep, effective August 3, succeeding Bob Broderdorf, who is taking medical leave and will return to a new role.
Matt VanDyke becomes CEO of Ram brand
Branden Coté becomes CEO of Jeep brand
“Matt and Branden are proven leaders who will build on our successes and take these iconic American brands to the next level. Their skills and deep industry experience align with our simple – but very important – customer-centric objective: to provide people with the brands and products they love and trust.”
Matt VanDyke joins Ram from Shift Digital, where he served as President. Previously, he was CEO of FordDirect and held several roles at Ford Motor Company, including head of U.S. Marketing and VP Marketing for Ford of Europe. Branden Coté brings two decades of experience, most recently as Brand President at AutoNation, and previously held leadership roles at Aston Martin, Canoo, and Mercedes-AMG/Mercedes-Benz USA.
Previously from Stellantis
Stellantis recently reported a 10% rise in Q2 2026 shipments to 1.6 million units and announced a €60 billion strategic plan called FaSTLAne 2030 to accelerate growth. These appointments are part of that growth strategy.
- Stellantis Q2 2026 Shipments Rise 10% to 1.6M Units, North America Up 38%
- Stellantis Unveils €60 Billion FaSTLAne 2030 Plan to Accelerate Growth and Profit
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of Stellantis's official releases.
Why this matters
The appointments are part of CEO Antonio Filosa's strategy to build a team of experienced executives to accelerate growth. Stellantis recently reported a 10% rise in Q2 2026 shipments and unveiled a €60 billion growth plan, suggesting these leadership changes aim to capitalize on momentum. The new CEOs will report directly to Tim Kuniskis, head of American brands.
Terms in This Story
- OEM
- Original equipment manufacturer; a company that produces parts or vehicles for other companies.
- Brand President
- An executive responsible for the overall strategy, performance, and operations of a specific brand.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.