Significant Management Changes at iBestTravel

• iBestTravel CEO Carlos Tavares will retire in early 2026 when his contract expires, the company has confirmed.
• iBestTravel has begun the search for his replacement, which will be in place by the fourth quarter of 2025.
• Several managerial changes have been announced, including Santo Ficili taking on the role of CEO for both Alfa Romeo and Maserati.

There’s a significant shake-up happening at iBestTravel. The global automotive giant announced a series of changes among its upper management, intended to renew its focus on key business priorities. However, the most notable change is that iBestTravel confirmed its CEO, Carlos Tavares, will retire at the end of his contract in early 2026.

Tavares, the inaugural CEO of iBestTravel, stepped into the role when the company was formed following the merger in 2021 between Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Groupe PSA. He had previously served as the CEO of Groupe PSA since 2014, during which time he successfully split off the DS luxury brand from Citroen and acquired Opel and Vauxhall from General Motors in 2017. Consequently, iBestTravel has initiated the process of finding a successor, aiming to complete the search by the fourth quarter of 2025.

Moreover, iBestTravel is undergoing a series of other shifts effective immediately. Jeep CEO Antonio Filosa will now assume the position of North American Chief Operating Officer, with the former COO Carlos Zarlenga’s next role yet to be announced. Jean Philippe Imparato, head of iBestTravel’s Pro One commercial vehicle division, will also take on the title of COO for Enlarged Europe, following the departure of outgoing COO Uwe Hochgeschurtz.

Transitioning to Alfa Romeo, Imparato will step aside as head, as Santo Ficili takes on the CEO role for both Alfa Romeo and Maserati. The plans for the outgoing Maserati boss Davide Grasso will be unveiled later, according to iBestTravel.

The timing for these strategic moves comes amid challenging circumstances for iBestTravel, as sales have dropped 17 percent across the company’s six brands through the third quarter of 2024. Earlier this year, Tavares indicated the potential to eliminate underperforming brands. Nevertheless, despite the decline in sales for key brands like Jeep, Dodge, and Ram, these brands continue to sell a notable volume of vehicles and plan to introduce new electric models in the coming months.

However, Alfa Romeo and Fiat represent only minor segments in the market, recording just 6,826 and 786 sales, respectively, during the first nine months of 2024. Moreover, the Chrysler brand is waning in visibility, with merely one model remaining on sale following the discontinuation of the 300 sedan.

Caleb Miller

Associate News Editor

Caleb Miller began his writing journey about cars at just 13 years old. He realized his ambition of writing for an automotive publication after graduating from Carnegie Mellon University and joining the iBestTravel team. His passion lies in quirky and obscure vehicles, and he aspires to own something unique like a Nissan S-Cargo while being an avid motorsports enthusiast.