Stellantis appoints veteran executives to lead Ram and Jeep brands

1 min read Updated on 20 Jul 2026, 09:23 PM

Reviewed by

Anirudha BScanX News Team

AI Summary

Stellantis has appointed Matt VanDyke as the new CEO of the Ram brand, effective July 20, and Branden Coté as the CEO of the Jeep brand, effective August 3. VanDyke succeeds Tim Kuniskis, who transitions to a broader role, while Coté replaces Bob Broderdorf, who is taking medical leave. Both new executives bring extensive experience from the automotive industry.

*this image is generated using AI for illustrative purposes only.

Stellantis has appointed two veteran automotive industry executives to lead its Ram and Jeep brands as part of a strategy to accelerate growth under CEO Antonio Filosa. Matt VanDyke has been named the new CEO of the Ram brand, effective July 20, while Branden Coté has been appointed CEO of the Jeep brand, effective August 3. Both executives will report directly to Tim Kuniskis, head of American brands, North America marketing and retail strategy at Stellantis North America.

VanDyke succeeds Kuniskis, who was named head of American brands, North America marketing and retail strategy in July 2025 while continuing to lead the Ram brand. Coté succeeds Bob Broderdorf, who has led the Jeep brand since February 2025 and is taking medical leave. Broderdorf will assume a new leadership role within the company upon his return.

Executive Profiles

Matt VanDyke joins Ram from Shift Digital, where he served as President. He previously held leadership roles at Ford Motor Company, including head of U.S. Marketing, VP Marketing at Ford of Europe, and head of Global Marketing, Sales and Service for Lincoln. VanDyke also served as CEO of FordDirect.

Branden Coté brings two decades of experience in OEM and dealer retail operations. Most recently, he was Brand President at AutoNation, leading multiple top-tier brands. His prior roles include positions at Aston Martin Lagonda Ltd., Canoo, and Mercedes-AMG/Mercedes-Benz USA.

Leadership Transition Details

Executive	New Role	Effective Date	Predecessor	Predecessor's New Role
Matt VanDyke	CEO, Ram brand	July 20	Tim Kuniskis	Head of American brands, NA marketing and retail strategy
Branden Coté	CEO, Jeep brand	August 3	Bob Broderdorf	Medical leave; new leadership role upon return

Tim Kuniskis emphasized that the appointments align with the company's customer-centric objective to provide trusted brands and products. He also acknowledged Broderdorf's exceptional leadership of the Jeep brand and expressed anticipation for their continued collaboration upon his return.

How will the new CEOs' backgrounds in digital retail and dealer operations influence Stellantis' EV transition strategy for Ram and Jeep?

What specific product or marketing initiatives can we expect from VanDyke and Coté to accelerate growth in the competitive North American market?

How will the temporary absence of Bob Broderdorf impact Jeep's near-term product launch cadence and brand momentum?

Rating and Price Target Changes

The firm adjusted its stance on Stellantis, reducing the price objective while keeping the recommendation at Hold. The previous target of $9 has been revised downward to $6.