Lifetime of Achievement: Luca de Meo
Luca de Meo has 30 years of experience in the automotive sector, after talent and hard work made his childhood dream come.
Born in 1967 in Milan, Italy, de Meo studied Business Administration at Università Bocconi from 1986 to 1992 where he submitted a thesis on business ethics. This was followed by a year at INSEAD - The Business School for the World in 1995 where he completed his in-service training during his time at Renault. De Meo went on to earn a Master of Business Administration at The International Institute for Management Development — which served as in-service training during his time at Toyota — from 1998 to 1999. After graduating, Renault offered de Meo his first job in the automotive industry.
“Working in the sector was a childhood dream and I will always remember my first years in the company,” he says.
Driving across automotive brands and leadership roles
De Meo started his career at Renault and went on to join Toyota Europe, then later the Fiat Group where he took care of several brands, including Lancia, Fiat, Abarth and Alfa Romeo.
In 2009, de Meo joined the Volkswagen Group as Marketing Director and in 2012, was offered the position of member of the Board of Directors in charge of Sales and Marketing at AUDI AG.
Then in November 2015 until January 2020, de Meo worked as the Chairman of the Executive Committee for SEAT S.A., as well as a member of the Supervisory Boards for Ducati and Lamborghini, as well as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Volkswagen Group in Spain.
From 2020, de Meo was the CEO of Renault S.A. and Chairman of Renault s.a.s.. Then,from January 2021, he became a member of the Renault Group’s Board of Management. Since January 2023, de Meo has been the President of the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association (ACEA).
From February 2023, de Meo became a member of the Leadership Team, which replaced the Board of Management (BOM) and the Corporate Management Committee (CMC). The vision behind this move was to ensure the strategic and operational management of Renault Group activities, from a single management body. In November 2023, de Meo became CEO of motor vehicle manufacturer Ampere.
De Meo's vision to transform Renault into an automotive powerhouse
De Meo is turning Renault into a new kind of car company — one that is ready for the future and diverse.
“We keep humble and focused because the challenges ahead are very tough, but we also know that we have put ourselves in the condition to lead the new automotive game that is emerging,” he says.
In 2023, de Meo was named ‘the most powerful person in the automotive sector’ and ‘Group CEO 2023’. While honoured, de Meo praised the work done by the Renault Group team.
He shares: “This award recognises the titanic work done over the last three years, transforming, in-depth, this great company to put it back where it deserves, at the forefront of innovation.”
Decarbonisation and e-mobility in the automotive landscape
When de Meo was made President of the European Automobile Manufacturers’ Association (ACEA), he spoke of his desire for decarbonisation and e-mobility.
“Looking ahead, we need Europe urgently to implement policies that fully support our decarbonisation goal and enable us to face growing global competition,” he shares “We welcome the work on a European Raw Materials Act, which should support the continent’s economic resilience and the shift to zero-emissions. Our industry is committed to investing heavily in e-mobility and to securing value creation and jobs in Europe. ACEA will continue to advocate for a balance between what is good for the environment, what is good for Europe’s economy and what is good for society.”
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