Why Stellantis' New European Design Chief Matters for Future Cars

A new creative mind for Europe

Gilles Vidal, the former vice president of design at Renault Group, was named by Stellantis on Friday as the company’s new head of design for its European brands, effective October 1. He replaces Jean-Pierre Ploué, who is departing the firm. Vidal will be in charge of the creative design approach for Stellantis’ well-known European brands, which range from light commercial vehicles to city automobiles.

“Gilles will build on the outstanding work carried out by Jean-Pierre Ploué, whom I salute for contributing to the revival and development of many of our brands and products,” said Ralph Gilles, Stellantis Chief Design Officer, to whom Vidal will report. Other executives offered equally effusive opinions about Vidal.

“His deep understanding of European automotive culture and his forward-thinking design philosophy will be essential as we continue to redefine mobility and strengthen the identity of our European brands,” said Jean-Philippe Imparato, Europe Chief Operating Officer at Stellantis.

The hiring of Vidal coincides with a pivotal moment for Stellantis, which is attempting to rebound under new CEO Antonio Filosa. In its key markets, including Europe, demand remains sluggish, and Chinese competitors, led by BYD, are gaining ground. This week’s unexpected first-half net deficit of €2.3 billion ($2.7 billion) highlights the difficulty Stellantis faces.

A triumphant return

For Vidal, the appointment is a homecoming. Joining Groupe PSA in 1996, he played a key role in creating some of the most celebrated car designs. Between 2015 and 2019, he oversaw the design of many Peugeot models, including the Peugeot 308, 3008, and 208, which were all named European Cars of the Year. After 25 years designing vehicles for Citroën and Peugeot, Vidal left PSA in 2020, joining Renault to guide its design as well as that of Renault’s electric-vehicle brand, Ampere. There, his designs for the Renault Scenic and Renault 5 also garnered European Cars of the Year awards. He also oversaw the design of Renault’s electric-vehicle brand, Ampere. In fact, half of Vidal’s 10 career awards have been European Car of the Year.

Vidal will work closely with Gilles, who will report to Imparato. “I am enthusiastic to return to my roots. In a world where technology and design should walk hand in hand to transform customer experience, I am excited about the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead,” Gilles Vidal said. “I look forward to tackling them by working closely with Jean-Philippe, Ralph, and their teams.”

Rebuilding Stellantis’ bench

Vidal’s appointment should help strengthen the beleaguered automaker following Carlos Tavares’ resignation as Stellantis CEO on December 1, 2024. His departure brought about the resignation of some of his loyal lieutenants as well, including Stellantis’ Chief Software Officer Yves Bonnefont, Peugeot CEO Linda Jackson, and CFO Richard Palmer. 

As a result, refilling Stellantis’ executive ranks is crucial. The ability of Stellantis’ new CEO, Antonio Filosa, to attract top talent is important. In America, Filosa, formerly CEO of Stellantis North America, brought back Tim Kuniskis as Ram CEO following a six-month retirement before quickly promoting him to oversee all of Stellantis NV’s American brands, marketing, and retail strategies. Vidal’s departure from Renault weakens a company that has seen its top ranks empty out, as Renault CEO Luca de Meo, Chief Financial Officer Thierry Pieton, and Executive Vice President of Engineering Gilles Le Borgne have all recently left the company.

Final thoughts

Stellantis’s Filosa knows the challenges the company faces in Europe and is willing to attract the needed talent to revive the company’s continental brands. As the company faces rising sales of Chinese vehicles, U.S. import tariffs, and an ever-quickening pace of EV adoption in Europe through government regulation, the hiring of Vidal is a crucial and cunning move.

“We are thrilled to welcome Gilles back to this key role. His deep understanding of European automotive culture and his forward-thinking design philosophy will be essential as we continue to redefine mobility and strengthen the identity of our European brands,” Imparato said.