It happened. Matt VanDyke is now the head of Ram. Effective immediately, the marketing veteran takes the reins at the brand that defines the modern pickup war. Jeep isn’t far behind.
Branden Coté steps into that driver’s seat on August 3.
Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa didn’t hesitate. He wanted fresh faces. He wanted leaders who actually understand how to sell metal to humans in a digital world. VanDyke and Coté aren’t just suits. They have decades of teeth-marked automotive experience. They know how to bite back in a market that is shifting beneath everyone’s feet.
The Ram Shift
VanDyke replaces Tim Kuniskis. Kuniskis didn’t get pushed out; he got promoted. In July 2025, Filosa shuffled his deck, moving Kuniskis to lead North America marketing and retail strategy. But let’s be real—Kuniskis wore both hats for a while. He ran Ram and the continent’s marketing. That’s too much weight for one person.
VanDyke comes from a heavy marketing background. He ran FordDirect for about eighteen months. Before that, he was president of Shift Digital. This isn’t a traditional dealer exec. This is someone who understands that selling a truck today means selling an experience, a subscription, a digital handshake, not just a handshake at a dealership. He knows the shift. He is the shift.
Enter the Jeep Boss
Coté’s arrival on August 3 fills a hole left by Bob Broderdorf. Broderdorf took medical leave. Stellantis says he’ll return to a new leadership role. The specifics? Redacted. Or just undecided. Probably undecided.
Coté brings a different flavor. Mercedes-Benz. Aston Martin. AutoNation president. He’s seen the high-end end of the spectrum and the high-volume end. He knows retail. He knows manufacturing. He knows that a Jeep Wrangler isn’t just a vehicle; it’s a cult object. You don’t manage that with spreadsheets. You manage it with respect and retail psychology.
Who’s in Charge?
Both new CEOs report to Kuniskis.
Think about that. The guy who left the Ram CEO seat is now the boss of both the truck brand and the off-roader brand’s new leaders. It’s a tight circle. Filosa set this up. He’s been Stellantis’ CEO since mid-2025. He previously led Jeep. He knows these brands in his sleep. He wants Stellantis to be a “winner” in this new era.
The goal isn’t subtle. By 2030:
* 35% volume increase.
* 25% revenue boost.
That’s a lot of metal to move.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Why the shakeup? Look at the second-quarter sales.
Ram is up 11%. Solid. But Jeep? Down 5%.
A five-percent drop is a warning shot. In the truck segment, stability is key. In the SUV segment, momentum matters. If Jeep loses momentum, it’s not just about numbers. It’s about relevance.
Filosa is betting that VanDyke can keep Ram hot while Coté cools down the bleeding at Jeep. It’s a dual approach. One brand runs the engine; the other needs a tune-up.
What’s Next?
The second half of the year is the make-or-break period. Two big deliveries are slated:
* The Jeep Cherokee Hybrid.
* The Ram 1500 STR TRX.
The Cherokee Hybrid? Interesting. Jeep is trying to go electric/hybrid while keeping its soul intact. Will buyers bite? The TRX is pure muscle. Pure noise. Pure excess. It appeals to a specific, loud demographic.
If these launches stick, VanDyke and Coté get credit. If they fumble, well. The automotive industry has no memory.
Kuniskis is watching. Filosa is watching. And consumers? They’re just waiting for the next model that actually looks worth buying.
The leadership change is done. Now comes the hard part.
