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Mopar boss promoted at FCA, still runs Mopar

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is appointing Pietro Gorlier as its new chief operating officer for components. The change in title is effective June 30 and means that he reports directly to Sergio Marchionne. He already runs Mopar globally. Gorlier is replacing Eugenio Razelli, who is leaving the automaker. Even with the new position, Gorlier continues to be the boss at Mopar and retains his seat on FCA's global executive council, which is the company's top decision-making group. This is essentially one more step up the ladder for the Turin-born executive. Gorlier became CEO of Mopar service, parts, and customer care for FCA US in 2009 and took over that role worldwide in 2011. FCA announces new appointment Fiat Chrysler Automobiles N.V. (NYSE: FCAU / MI: FCA) announced today that effective June 30, 2015, Pietro Gorlier is appointed Chief Operating Officer Components reporting directly to the Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne. Mr. Gorlier will also retain his current responsibilities as Head of Parts & Service (MOPAR) and member of the Group Executive Council. Mr. Gorlier will succeed Eugenio Razelli, who elected to leave the Group after several years of dedicated service. "We extend our sincere appreciation to Eugenio for his leadership and contribution to the organization" said Sergio Marchionne. Pietro Gorlier is Head of Parts & Service (MOPAR) and a member of the Group Executive Council (GEC) since September 1, 2011. He joined the Group in 1989 in Iveco and held various positions in Logistics, After Sales, and Customer Care before joining the automobile business in 2006 in Network Development. He holds a Master of Economics from the University of Turin. London, 18 May 2015 Related Video: News Source: FCA Hirings/Firings/Layoffs Chrysler Fiat FCA fiat chrysler automobiles fca us

Wish you had a world-famous auto exec give your commencement speech? Watch this

We've seen some pretty great commencement speeches over the years. There was Steve Jobs' incredibly inspiring Stanford address in 2005, John Stewart's insightful speech to the graduating class of William and Mary in 2004 and Steven Colbert's hilarious 2011 address at Northwestern, but automotive executives aren't strangers to honorary degrees. Former General Motors CEO Rick Wagoner spoke at Virginia Commonwealth University in 2011, and Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne recently gave the keynote at Walsh College's 100th Commencement Ceremony. The executive knows a thing or two about success and following one's beliefs to fulfillment.
"I constantly encourage my co-workers at Fiat and Chrysler to go beyond the cliche and the conventional to try new approaches and change perspective each and every day," Marchionne said. "I exhort them not to repeat the same things, the same approaches, and I remind them they are indeed free. The freedom I am talking about is something inside you. It is determined by how open minded you remain, how receptive you are to the new and to the different, to the infinite possibilities that present themselves even if you don't go looking for them or could never have imagined. Being free means that you have the strength not to be conditioned by what others want you to do or by what may seem to be the easiest choice."
Amen to that. You can check out the brief press release on the address below as well as a video of a few highlights from the speech.

Fiat To Pay $3.65 Billion For Remaining Chrysler Shares

Italian automaker Fiat SpA announced Wednesday that it reached an agreement to acquire the remaining shares of Chrysler for $3.65 billion in payments to a union-controlled trust fund. Fiat already owns 58.5 percent of Chrysler's shares, with the remaining 41.5 percent held by a United Auto Workers union trust fund that pays health care bills for retirees. Under the deal, Fiat will make an initial payment of $1.9 billion to the fund, plus an additional $1.75 billion upon closing the deal. Chrysler will also make additional payments totaling $700 million to the fund as part of an agreement with the UAW. The deal is expected to close on or before Jan. 20, according to a statement from Chrysler. Sergio Marchionne, CEO of both Fiat and Chrysler, has long sought to acquire the union's shares in order to combine the two companies. "The unified ownership structure will now allow us to fully execute our vision of creating a global automaker that is truly unique in terms of mix of experience, perspective and know-how, a solid and open organization," Marchionne said in a statement issued by Turin, Italy-based Fiat. The deal eliminates the need for an initial public offering of the union fund's stake, which analysts had previously valued at $5.6 billion. Fiat went to court last year seeking a judgment on the price, but the trial date was set for next September. Marchionne can't spend Chrysler's cash on Fiat's operations unless the companies merge. In recent months he made it clear that he preferred to settle the dispute without an IPO, but filed the paperwork for the offering in September at the trust's request. Chrysler's profits have helped prop up Fiat on the balance sheet as the Italian automaker struggles in a down European market. The Auburn Hills, Mich., automaker earned $464 million in the third quarter on U.S. sales of the Ram pickup and Jeep Grand Cherokee, its ninth-straight profitable quarter. The results boosted Fiat, which earned $260 million in the quarter. Without Chrysler's contribution, Fiat would have lost $340 million. UAW/Unions Chrysler Fiat