Luca de Meo

Luca de Meo became CEO of Renault Group in July 2020, inheriting a company in deep crisis: massive losses, the aftermath of the Carlos Ghosn scandal, a strained alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi, and an aging product lineup. The Italian executive — who previously revitalized SEAT/Cupra at Volkswagen Group and held senior marketing roles at Audi and Fiat — launched the "Renaulution" strategic plan that has produced a remarkable turnaround. De Meo's approach was radical: he prioritized profitability over volume, cutting unprofitable models and markets, negotiating cost reductions, and focusing on value over discounting. The results have been dramatic — Renault's automotive operating margin improved from deeply negative to over 7%, and the group returned to meaningful profitability. He also resolved the long-festering Nissan alliance issue by reducing Renault's stake in Nissan from 43% to 15%, establishing a more equal partnership structure. On the product front, de Meo's signature achievement has been the Renault 5 E-Tech — a retro-styled electric car that generated enormous media attention and consumer interest, positioned as an affordable European EV alternative to Chinese competition. He also restructured Renault's EV business through the Ampere subsidiary and invested in the Alpine performance brand. Key stock drivers include European EV sales, Renault 5 launch success, margin sustainability, Nissan stake monetization, Alpine brand development, and the competitive dynamics against Stellantis, VW, and increasingly aggressive Chinese EV manufacturers entering Europe.