Citroën
Leadership History
4 leaders · 2014 to present
Xavier Chardon is the CEO of Citroën, in the role since 2025. The first chief executive was Linda Jackson, from 2014.
| Name | Role | From | To | Years in role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Xavier Chardon | Chief Executive Officer | 2025 | Present | 1 |
| Thierry Koskas | Chief Executive Officer | 2023 | 2025 | 2 |
| Vincent Cobée | Chief Executive Officer | 2020 | 2023 | 3 |
| Linda Jackson | Chief Executive Officer, Citroen | 2014 | 2020 | 6 |
Citroën is one of the oldest names in the car industry and one of 14 brands inside Stellantis. Historically it was known for daring engineering such as front-wheel drive and hydropneumatic suspension. Under Stellantis, its role is narrower: build comfortable, simple and affordable cars on shared platforms, positioned below Peugeot and against Dacia, Renault, Škoda and Chinese newcomers. The highly innovative French automaker was founded in Paris in 1919, famously pioneering mass production in Europe and inventing the revolutionary hydropneumatic suspension before eventually being absorbed into the massive Stellantis conglomerate.
Citroën is a mass-market, high-volume car brand within Stellantis and relies on the group's purchasing power and shared engineering. Inside the group it is positioned on accessible comfort: where Peugeot is pitched as more premium and sporty, Citroën builds cars with soft suspension and comfortable seats at competitive prices. It earns its revenue from volume rather than luxury margins.
Chief Executive Officer
2025 – Present
1 year (current)
Appointed CEO of Citroën effective June 2, 2025, reporting to Stellantis Enlarged Europe COO Jean-Philippe Imparato. He joined PSA in 1994 and spent almost 20 years with Citroën before working at Volkswagen.
Chief Executive Officer
2023 – 2025
2 years
Koskas orchestrated the highly aggressive pivot toward 'accessible electric mobility', launching the radically cheap €20,000 e-C3 to directly combat the massive influx of cheap Chinese EVs.
As CEO, he attempts to redefine the struggling brand within the massive Stellantis portfolio, positioning Citroën as the definitive entry-level, budget-conscious European automaker.
Chief Executive Officer
2020 – 2023
3 years
Cobée spearheaded the incredibly polarizing redesign of the Citroën brand identity, explicitly moving away from complex premium features toward stark, brutalist simplicity (like the Ami microcar).
Serving as CEO until 2023, he successfully launched the Ami, which became a massive viral success among urban European youth, completely bypassing traditional driver's license requirements.
Chief Executive Officer, Citroen
2014 – 2020
6 years
Jackson became chief executive of the Citroen brand in 2014 and repositioned it around comfort and distinctive design.
She oversaw the C4 Cactus and C5 Aircross launches. Vincent Cobee succeeded her in January 2020.
Citroën operates in a hyper-competitive mass-market European and emerging-market automotive landscape. Key challenges include defending European entry-level EV market share against aggressive price-cutting from Chinese electric vehicle brands (MG, BYD); maintaining healthy dealer margins on sub-€25,000 electric vehicles utilizing cost-effective Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries; expanding market presence in high-growth international markets like India and South America against entrenched local players (Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai); managing Stellantis platform component consolidation across sister brands (Peugeot, Opel, Fiat); and complying with strict European Union corporate average fleet emissions (CAFE) mandates.
Xavier Chardon became Chief Executive Officer of Citroën on June 2, 2025. He joined PSA in 1994, spent almost 20 years with Citroën in Italy, Denmark, Germany and France, and later worked at Volkswagen before returning. He succeeded Thierry Koskas, CEO from March 2023.
Thierry Koskas graduated from École Polytechnique and École des Mines in Paris. He spent over 20 years at Renault, serving as Executive Vice President of Sales and Marketing and President of Renault Argentina, before joining PSA/Stellantis in 2019.
Vincent Cobée served as CEO of Citroën from 2020 to 2023. Cobée launched the groundbreaking Citroën Ami, defined the brand's 'peace-of-mind' comfort positioning, initiated the C-Cubed emerging market strategy, and unveiled the new corporate brand identity.
Linda Jackson served as CEO of Citroën for six years (2014 to 2020), leading the brand's global sales resurgence, launching the best-selling C3 hatchback and C3/C5 Aircross SUVs, and introducing the Citroën Advanced Comfort program before becoming CEO of Peugeot.
Pierre Boulanger served as CEO of Citroën from 1935 to 1950 following the Michelin takeover. Boulanger conceived and directed the secret wartime development of the well-known 2CV ('an umbrella on four wheels'), transforming rural French transportation.
As CEO from 2023 to 2025, Thierry Koskas oversaw the launch of the ë-C3 on the Smart Car platform and the brand's new logo and identity.
When appointed in 2025, Xavier Chardon reported to Jean-Philippe Imparato, Stellantis chief operating officer for Enlarged Europe. Stellantis itself has been led by CEO Antonio Filosa since June 2025.
Chardon has focused on the renewed C3, C3 Aircross and C5 Aircross range, offering electric, hybrid and petrol choices, and on recovering customer trust after the Takata airbag campaign. H1 2026 sales rose 4.4%.
Thierry Koskas serves as the brand CEO, though all massive strategic and financial decisions are ultimately dictated by Carlos Tavares, the ruthless, highly effective CEO of the parent conglomerate, Stellantis.
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