Roberto Ronchi, currently in charge of Fleet and Network Development for Fiat Auto has been promoted to CEO of Maserati, replacing Karl-Heinz Kalbfell who will leave the company.

A brief statement issued in Turin today read: "Roberto Ronchi, currently responsible for Fleet and Network Development for Fiat Auto, Fiat Group’s car division, will be assuming responsibility for the Maserati car brand effective immediately, replacing Karl-Heinz Kalbfell, who is leaving the Group to pursue other interests. He will retain responsibility for automotive fleet sales. Mr. Ronchi joined the Group in 2002 as Commercial Director for Maserati, eventually assuming the additional responsibility for marketing, and moved over to Fiat Auto in April 2005. He brings with him a number of years of experience with international consumer goods companies. Fiat thanks Mr. Kalbfell for his significant contributions to the development of both Alfa Romeo and Maserati and wishes him success in his future endeavours," the statement concluded.

Karl-Heinz Kalbfell's departure was generally unexpected with his official appearance at next week's Paris Motor Show n his role as CEO of Maserati being in the pipeline. Kalbfell, 56, joined Fiat Auto in January 2005, taking up an appointment he had inked the previous October. To join Fiat Auto Kalbfell had to extract himself from the job of CEO f Rolls-Royce North America, a position he had accepted a just few months earlier.
 

At the time he said that reviving Alfa Romeo was a challenge and opportunity that he could not turn down. His brief was quickly extended to cover the Maserati brand when the controversial arrangement with General Motors was would up last spring, and the historic Modena carmaker - owned by Fiat since 1990 - was transferred back to Fiat Auto control. At the time Maserati was managed by the Ferrari division and the then Trident CEO Martin Leach left at the same time. By late September of last year Kalbfell had lost his position at Alfa Romeo, retaining though the CEO job at Maserati and also being given a vague role as the head of future Alfa Romeo-Maserati joint projects. Lancia CEO Antonio Baravalle replaced him at Alfa Romeo. This year the Maserati unit has cut its losses and two new models: an automatic gearbox Quattroporte (January 2006) and a new Coupé (March 2006) are both expected to improve the further product mix, with a break-even expected in 2008.

Ronchi - like Kalbfell - has a marketing background, having worked in this sector for several blue chip companies including drinks giant Seagrams, before joining Maserati four years ago. The 47-year-old was switched to Fiat dealer development and then added network sales to his responsibilities.