ACEA announces Renault Group CEO de Meo as incoming president

The European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA) announced that its Board of Directors has elected Luca de Meo, CEO of Renault Group as its president for 2023. As of January 1, de Meo will take over the presidency from BMW’s CEO, Oliver Zipse, who has held the position for the last two years.

“These past years have been marked by the Covid pandemic, supply chain disruptions, the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis – all of which have had a profound impact on our sector,” said ACEA’s outgoing President, Zipse. 

“Nevertheless, the European auto industry has been the reliable industrial backbone of the EU in highly volatile times. At the same time, we have been cautioning against over-regulation and calling for technology-neutrality to be the base of EU competitiveness.”

De Meo has more than 30 years of experience in the automotive sector. He began his career at Renault before joining Toyota Europe, then the Fiat Group where he managed the Lancia, Fiat and Alfa Romeo brands.

In 2009, he joined the Volkswagen Group as marketing director, both for the Volkswagen brand passenger cars and Volkswagen Group. He then held the position of member of the Board of Directors in charge of Sales and Marketing at AUDI AG in 2012.

From November 2015 until January 2020, de Meo was chairman of the Executive Committee of SEAT SA, member of the Supervisory Boards of Ducati and Lamborghini and chairman of the Board of Directors of the Volkswagen Group in Spain.

Since July 2020,de Meo has been chief executive officer of Renault SA and chairman of Renault sas. Since January 2021, he is also CEO, Renault Brand, and a member of the Renault Group’s Board of Management.

Born in Milan, Italy, in 1967, de Meo graduated from the Luigi Bocconi Commercial University with a degree in business administration.

“Looking ahead, we need Europe urgently to implement policies that fully support our decarbonisation goal, and enable us to face growing global competition,” said ACEA’s incoming President de Meo. 

“We welcome the work on a European Raw Materials Act, which should support the continent’s economic resilience and the shift to zero-emissions. Our industry is committed to investing heavily in e-mobility, and to securing value creation and jobs in Europe.”

“The Euro 7 proposal in its current shape, however, would draw away massive human and financial resources from electrification, at the very time when other world regions are creating an attractive investment environment for zero-emissions mobility.”

“ACEA will continue to advocate for a balance between what is good for the environment, what is good for Europe’s economy and what is good for society.”

The ACEA president is elected for a year-long term, once renewable, from the CEOs of its member companies – the major Europe-based car, van, truck and bus manufacturers.

ACEA represents the 16 major Europe-based car, van, truck and bus makers: BMW Group, DAF Trucks, Daimler Truck, Ferrari, Ford of Europe, Honda Motor Europe, Hyundai Motor Europe, Iveco Group, Jaguar Land Rover, Mercedes-Benz, Renault Group, Stellantis, Toyota Motor Europe, Volkswagen Group, Volvo Cars, and Volvo Group.