STELLANTIS has appointed former GM aftersales director and Holden sales director Michael Filazzola as managing director for Australia, effective March 20.

He will be responsible for the Stellantis brands of Jeep, Alfa Romeo, Fiat, Fiat Professional and Abarth in the Australian market.

Mr Filazzola replaces Kevin Flynn who, after 47 years in the automotive industry, has decided to retire so he can spend more time with his family in South Africa.

Over three decades, Mr Flynn worked across multiple countries and brands including Lexus, BMW, Jaguar Land Rover and Porsche before joining Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) to lead the India team in 2015.

Stellantis senior vice president, India and Asia Pacific Region, Billy Hayes, said: “With proven leadership capabilities and a diverse skill set, we are confident that Michael will continue to drive the growth and success of the Stellantis business in Australia.”

Mr Filazzola has worked in the automotive and aftermarket industry for more than 28 years, working in Australia, China and South-East Asia.

Stellantis said he has extensive knowledge of the automotive ecosystem, holding a variety of roles as a senior executive across sales, aftersales, customer experience, purchasing and supply chain, and product development while at General Motors, Holden Australia and Bapcor.

Most recently, Mr Filazzola was the general manager for product development at Bapcor, overseeing the growth of private brands within the aftermarket industry in Australia.

He said he was “forward to joining Stellantis and working with the team across its robust suite of brands”.

“With the company’s focus moving towards electrification, and a new generation of vehicles from all brands being launched into the market, I feel like this is a great time to join Stellantis.”

Mr Flynn joined the Australian Stellantis team in 2019 with a focus on improving product quality and customer satisfaction.

The company said he successfully navigated the challenges of a global pandemic while achieving growth for the company in the Australian market.

Prior to taking on the role in Australia, Mr Flynn was responsible for the overall development of the Jeep brand in India, while also establishing Jeep’s export strategy for all right-hand drive markets.

Under his leadership, Jeep was voted India’s most trusted automotive brand by the 2019 Brand Trust Report.

Mr Hayes said: “I want to thank Kevin for his dedication and commitment to our business and the industry. He’s had an exemplary career and I, along with the rest of the Stellantis team, wish him the very best.”

By Neil Dowling