Stellantis UK is appointing Nick Richards as its new B2B director, replacing James Taylor as part of a majorly revamped management structure from January 2023.

Nick Richards becomes Stellantis UK B2B director from January 2023

The group said the new set-up – which includes amalgamating the management of Alfa Romeo and DS Automobiles in a new premium brand division – integrates “the multiple retailer contact points, simplifies policies and procedures and improves communication whilst maintaining the integrity of the respective brands”.

Under the changes, Nick Richards, who is currently director – used vehicle operations, will assume the fleet-facing role across the group’s brands. The position was originally created in August 2021 and assumed by James Taylor, ensuring a coordinated approach for the large fleet customers across the Stellantis stable while leaving SME fleet sales conducted at brand level.

James Taylor instead now moves to the position of Vauxhall managing director – which he had been covering on an interim basis since July 2022 after former MD Paul Willcox moved to the role of Stellantis UK lead. Taylor has an extensive background at the brand, stretching back to 2000 and including various sales and marketing positions as well as nearly 10 years as fleet sales and marketing director.

The reorg also includes further appointments of new MDs for the various brands. Greg Taylor will become Citroën MD, replacing Eurig Druce who will move to become network operations director in a centralised role across Citroën, Fiat & Abarth, Jeep, Peugeot and Vauxhall. Taylor’s current role as MD of Fiat and Abarth UK will be assumed by Damien Dally, currently Alfa and Jeep head. Adam Wood, marketing director at Vauxhall, gets promoted to Peugeot MD and Jules Tilstone moves to head up Jeep from his current leadership role at DS.

The combined ‘premium brands’ MD role for Alfa Romeo and DS will be assumed by Julie David, currently managing director for Peugeot.

Other positions include the move to Richard Chamberlain to become LCV business director – working across all four van brands: Vauxhall, Peugeot, Citroën and Fiat Professional.

The group’s used vehicles and remarketing director is still to be announced while the current group office management remains unchanged.

Stellantis said its priorities were to “create a structure that integrates the multiple contact points by moving towards a simple clear regional support structure” and to simplify policies and procedures, improve communication and maintain the integrity of the brands.

Paul Willcox, UK group managing director, said: “We have a significant electrified product offensive in the coming years placing us well ahead of the Government’s mandate for zero-emission vehicles. Our new management structure for our UK operations prepares us for the future and leverages our core strengths. We anticipate significant opportunities for our Retail partners through this restructure with a clear strategic direction.

The revamp includes a major restructure of the Stellantis retailer network, streamlining dealers’ business models and moving to multi-franchising. The new integrated approach will result in the loss of 138 of its current 918 retailers.