Citroën CEO Also Now CEO of DS Automobiles

The latest developments within Stellantis have Xavier Chardon now appointed as CEO of DS Automobiles in addition to being CEO for Citroën.

Not really a surprise as it was announced back in May that DS Automobiles would come under the control of Citroën. It remains to be seen if the brands will merge to be one in the future, but given the confusion over DS (and SM) models being ripped from Citroën back in 2014 when the formation of DS Automobiles was announced under then CEO Carlos Tavares, this latest appointment at least moves toward further consolidation that many Citroën enthusiasts feel would correct the Citroën fracture. For now though, there is still going to be a distinction. With DS Automobiles currently launching DS N°7 – the first replacement of its best-seller since its creation – Xavier Chardon said:

^{“DS Automobiles was born from a bold idea: to challenge conventions and embody a certain vision of the French automotive industry.}

^{More than fifteen years after being part of the launch of the first DS 3, I am delighted and honoured to take on responsibility for the brand today and, together with our teams, to open a new chapter.}

^{Our ambition is clear: to build on the foundations already in place, make DS N°7 a success, and reinforce the desirability, uniqueness and longevity of DS Automobiles.}

^{Bringing DS and Citroën together under a single management structure offers us a unique opportunity: to maximize synergies where they make sense, whilst further reinforcing the identity and distinctiveness of each of our two brands.}

^{I would like to extend my warmest thanks to Xavier Peugeot, our teams and our distributor partners for their commitment and everything they have achieved.}

^{Together, let us continue to write the history of DS Automobiles and take its French creativity, design and expertise ever further.”}

A graduate of Institut Commercial de Nancy, Xavier Chardon, 55, has spent his entire career in the automotive industry in France, Europe and China. He joined PSA in 1994 and began his career at Citroën in Italy. After holding various positions at the brand’s headquarters, Xavier Chardon took responsibility for Citroën in Denmark in 2001, followed by Germany in 2004. He then served as Director of Marketing, Press and Public Relations from 2007 to 2009, before becoming Managing Director of Citroën France, a position he held until 2011.

Chardon joined Volkswagen AG in 2012 as Vice President of European Sales, before taking on responsibility for Marketing and Communications in 2014. Appointed Vice President of Marketing and Customers in charge of the Volkswagen brand in 2016, he then joined Volkswagen China to lead the “Project House Digitalization” from 2017 to 2018 before taking over as Vice President of Sales and Marketing of the SAIC-Volkswagen joint venture. Back in France in 2021, he became Chairman of the Management Board of Volkswagen Group France.

Chief Executive Officer of Citroën since June 2nd 2025, Chardon takes over the same role at DS Automobiles effective September 1, 2026, reporting to Emanuele Cappellano, Stellantis’ Chief Operating Officer, Enlarged Europe.

Xavier Chardon succeeds Xavier Peugeot, who has been appointed Head of the Jeep® brand in Europe, a newly established position reporting directly to Enlarged Europe COO, while remaining Stellantis Head of Heritage.

Perhaps more telling; Arnaud Belloni has been appointed CEO of the Fiat, Abarth and Lancia brands and chief marketing officer for Europe.

Fiat is one of the 4 brands that Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa announced in May would be backed with development funding (the others being Jeep, Peugeot and RAM), in priroity to other Stallantis brands that include Citroën and DS Automobiles. A native of Naples, Italy, Filosa began his professional journey with the Fiat Group in 1999, and advanced into top management in 2018.

Beloni returns to Stellantis, where he previously spent 16 years leading marketing strategy for its Italian and French brands. He rejoins Stellantis from Renault Group, where he served as global chief marketing officer beginning in November 2020 and as chief branding officer for all the group’s brands beginning in May 2023.  In his new role, Belloni succeeds Olivier François, who will support him through mid-October to ensure a smooth transition and will continue to support Stellantis as a Company strategic advisor.

With a similar move to appoint one CEO for Fiat, Abarth and Lancia, that only strengthens the corporate positioning of Italian brands in Stellantis over Citroën and DS Automobiles. Time will tell how the French prevail.