Chrysler Group has announced
in a statement that Laura J. Soave has been appointed as the
Head of the Fiat Brand for North America. Soave will lead
the reintroduction of the Fiat Brand in North America,
beginning with the Fiat 500 which is to be built at Chrysler
Group's Tolluca factory in Mexico starting from soon after
the end of this year.
Soave, Chrysler says, will
hold full profit and loss responsibility for the Fiat
product portfolio in North America. In her position, Soave,
who will report to Sergio Marchionne, Chief Executive
Officer of Chrysler Group as well as holding the same
position with Fiat Group, will work with the brand
Presidents and industrial leads to fully integrate Fiat
product into the marketing, sales, service and dealer
network organisations.
“Laura
joins Chrysler with extensive experience in automotive
marketing,” said Sergio Marchionne in a statement released
yesterday. “Her rich background will serve as a springboard
for reintroducing the Fiat brand when it takes to U.S. and
Canadian roads this December after more than a 25-year
absence. This truly iconic car exemplifies Italian style,
technology and passion and, offers something more. The 500
heralds a new vision of technology’s role in sustainable
mobility.”
Soave
joins Chrysler Group from Volkswagen of America where she
most recently was the General Manager of Experiential
Marketing leading consumer marketing initiatives. During her
stint at Volkswagen, she also was the head of advertising
and communications activities for all large passenger
vehicles and SUVs. Prior to that, she worked at Ford Motor
Company in a variety of positions including most recently as
a Brand DNA Manager where she managed the repositioning of
the Ford, Lincoln and Mercury brands.
