Xavier Chardon Appointed DS Automobiles CEO While Keeping Citroën Role
Xavier Chardon, already CEO of Citroën, adds DS Automobiles to his responsibilities starting September 1, 2026.
- 55
- 1994
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What Happened
Xavier Chardon has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of DS Automobiles effective September 1, 2026, in addition to his current role as CEO of Citroën. He succeeds Xavier Peugeot, who has been at the helm of DS Automobiles since February 2025. Peugeot will take on a newly established position as Head of the Jeep brand in Europe, reporting to Stellantis' Enlarged Europe COO, while remaining head of Stellantis Heritage. Chardon will report to Emanuele Cappellano, Stellantis' Chief Operating Officer for Enlarged Europe.
Xavier Peugeot takes the helm of DS Automobiles.
Xavier Chardon becomes CEO of Citroën.
Xavier Chardon becomes CEO of DS Automobiles while remaining Citroën CEO; Xavier Peugeot moves to lead Jeep brand in Europe.
Chardon, 55, is a graduate of Institut Commercial de Nancy and has spent his career in the automotive industry in France, Europe, and China. He joined PSA in 1994, starting at Citroën in Italy, and after various positions at the brand's headquarters took responsibility for Citroën in Denmark in 2001 and Germany in 2004. He served as Director of Marketing, Press and Public Relations from 2007 to 2009, then Managing Director of Citroën France until 2011. He joined Volkswagen AG in 2012 as Vice President of European Sales, took responsibility for Marketing and Communications in 2014, and was appointed Vice President of Marketing and Customers in 2016. He then joined Volkswagen China to lead the 'Project House Digitalization' from 2017 to 2018, became Vice President of Sales and Marketing at the SAIC-Volkswagen joint venture, and returned to France in 2021 as Chairman of the Management Board of Volkswagen Group France.
“DS Automobiles was born from a bold idea: to challenge conventions and embody a certain vision of the French automotive industry. More than fifteen years after being part of the launch of the first DS 3, I am delighted and honoured to take on responsibility for the brand today and, together with our teams, to open a new chapter. Our ambition is clear: to build on the foundations already in place, make DS N°7 a success, and reinforce the desirability, uniqueness and longevity of DS Automobiles. Bringing DS and Citroën together under a single management structure offers us a unique opportunity: to maximise synergies where they make sense, whilst further reinforcing the identity and distinctiveness of each of our two brands. I would like to extend my warmest thanks to Xavier Peugeot, our teams and our distributor partners for their commitment and everything they have achieved. Together, let us continue to write the history of DS Automobiles and take its French creativity, design and expertise ever further.”
The appointment comes as DS Automobiles is launching the DS N°7, which the company describes as the first replacement of its best-seller since the brand's creation. Chardon said he was delighted and honoured to take responsibility for the brand more than fifteen years after being part of the launch of the first DS 3. He also thanked Xavier Peugeot, the teams, and distributor partners for their commitment.
Previously from DS Automobiles
The appointment lands days after DS Automobiles launched its 'Put the world on mute' campaign on 30 August. That 360-degree campaign supports the arrival of the DS N°7 in French stores.
Background drawn from MotorClaw's earlier coverage of DS Automobiles's official releases.
Why this matters
The move puts two Stellantis brands under one chief executive, which Chardon says will allow the company to maximise synergies while keeping each brand's identity distinct. It coincides with the launch of the DS N°7, DS Automobiles' first replacement of its best-seller since the brand was created, making the model's success an early priority. The change affects employees, distributor partners, and the brands' French identity and positioning.
Terms in This Story
- CEO
- Chief Executive Officer; the highest-ranking executive in a company.
- COO
- Chief Operating Officer; a senior executive responsible for day-to-day operations.
- joint venture
- A business arrangement in which two or more companies share ownership and control of a project.
Summarised from the linked release; details can be imperfect — always verify against the original source.