Stellantis has announced leadership changes within its Jeep and Ram brands, signaling a strategic shift as the company aims to strengthen its position in the North American market. The changes come as Bob Broderdorf, Jeep’s CEO since February 2025, steps down temporarily due to a cancer diagnosis, while Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis moves to focus on broader responsibilities within Stellantis.
Broderdorf disclosed his diagnosis in a LinkedIn post, explaining that he would be taking medical leave to prioritize his health. He expressed gratitude to Stellantis for holding his position during his absence and shared his intention to return in a new leadership role within the company. During Broderdorf’s tenure, Jeep introduced a refreshed product lineup, launched innovative marketing campaigns, and released a new electric off-road vehicle.
Taking over as Jeep CEO will be Branden Coté, a seasoned automotive executive with past experience at Mercedes-Benz, Aston Martin, and various automotive analysis organizations. Coté’s appointment is part of Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa’s broader strategy to assemble a leadership team equipped to drive the company’s growth ambitions.
At Ram, Kuniskis will relinquish his role as CEO after about a year of leading the brand’s sales revival. Rather than departing Stellantis, he will now concentrate fully on overseeing all of the company’s North American brands, including Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram. Kuniskis had been juggling multiple high-profile roles since July 2025, including heading the high-performance SRT division and managing North American marketing and retail strategy.
Matt VanDyke, a former Ford executive with 14 years of experience—most recently leading an independent automotive marketing firm—has been named Kuniskis’s successor at Ram. VanDyke’s background includes positions as Ford’s chief marketing officer and CEO of FordDirect, its retail marketing arm.
The leadership reshuffle occurs amid Stellantis’s rollout of its “FaSTLAne 2030” strategic plan, which designates Jeep and Ram as pivotal to the company’s long-term market recovery. According to the plan, these two brands will receive the majority of Stellantis’s research and development investments, while Chrysler and Dodge will assume more secondary roles.
Stellantis emphasized that the appointments of Coté and VanDyke align with Filosa’s initiative to position experienced executives in leadership roles essential to executing the company’s vision for growth and increased market share in North America.