It is the waltz of the positions at Citroën at the beginning of the year: after the changes of the Director and the Marketing Director in France, it is the turn of Vincent Cobée, Managing Director of Citroën since 2020, to leave the brand and the Stellantis group.
In view of the growing challenges related to the accessibility of electrified mobility for customers and the arrival of new entrants on the automotive market, it is therefore Thierry Koskas who will become Managing Director of the Citroën brand from 1 March 2023, while retaining his role as Sales and Marketing Director of Stellantis,
Building on his previous experience as Brand Commercial Director, Thierry Koskas will take responsibility for Citroën to exploit the brand's potential in Europe and worldwide.
Thierry Koskas will retain his role as Chief Sales & Marketing Officer and will continue to report directly to CEO Carlos Tavares. Vincent Cobée has decided to pursue personal projects outside the company.
Carlos Tavares, CEO of Stellantis, said: "I have full confidence in Thierry Koskas to carry out these strategic and value-creating tasks for our company, so that Stellantis continues to be at the forefront of the market while developing the iconic Citroën brand. Thierry's dual responsibility is part of a logic of transversality that already exists within the Stellantis management team. I would like to thank Vincent Cobée for defining the positioning of Citroën within the Stellantis brand portfolio and wish him all the best for his future projects. "
Thierry Koskas was previously at Renault, where he was marketing and sales director, before joining the PSA Group in March 2019 in the same position. At the time of the creation of Stellantis, Thierry Koskas had the same responsibilities, which he will therefore retain in addition to managing the Citroën brand. This appointment is perhaps an acknowledgement that Citroën's sales are not at the expected level, and putting the marketing and sales director of the Stellantis group at the helm can only be good for the brand to return to the level it deserves, both in France and in Europe.