Sergio Marchionne, the strong boss who transformed Fiat – Auto

Little known in 2004 when he arrived at the leadership of the Turin-based manufacturer, then on the edge of the abyss, he managed to conquer politicians, media and trade unionists in Italy, all fascinated by his ability to save the largest group in the country without mbadive job cuts.

In 2009, he adds an international dimension to the iconic Fiat by joining the American Chrysler with the aim of making it one of the world's leading manufacturers.

Nine years later, Marchionne, aged The 66-year-old, when he presented FCA's new strategic plan in June, was pleased to have reduced the industrial debt of the group to zero, a huge challenge since it reached 7.7 billion euros at the end of 2014.

The leader, who was to hand in early 2019, repeated that his successor would be from the group. But his state of health, the subject of rumors for a few weeks, forced the directors of the three groups FCA, Ferrari and CNH Industrial to discuss in emergency Saturday his replacement. Jeep boss Mike Manley will replace him as managing director of Fiat Chrysler, according to Italian media.

– Speaking and wrestling –

Cost reduction, new models, attention to design In 2005, Sergio Marchionne, a round-faced manager with a hoarse smoker's voice, pulled Fiat out of the red after four years of losses.

But the Anglo-Saxon culture and the outspokenness of Marchionne, who says he is sometimes "disgusted" by social relations in Italy, is crisping teeth in the peninsula.

His decision to close the Termini Imerese plant in Sicily at the end of 2011 despite criticisms from the government and his willingness to condition investments in Italy to revise social agreements to allow more flexibility shook the country.

"We want to manage the factories, that's nothing obscene, here in Italy, we feel we are saying something absurd", he insisted in July 2010.

Behind The absence of manners and the apparent decadence of the character almost always dressed in a dark sweater, hides indeed a relentless boss who, as soon as he arrived at Fiat, sent back dozens of hierarchs and put forward a team of young leaders.

"I continuously evaluate my colleagues, give them notes and I tell them + attention: to the one who sits, I remove the chair +", he says. In 2014, he ruthlessly defeated leader Luca Cordero de Montezemolo after a quarter of a century at the helm of Ferrari.

Workaholic, he does not hesitate to impose infernal cadences on his teams to take speed competition, as when he decided to advance three months the launch of the new Fiat 500 in 2007.

– Chrysler, his master stroke –

From the beginning of the crisis in 2008, Mr. Marchionne does not lose a minute to adapt. While he swore by the "targeted alliances", tied on a case by case basis since the divorce of Fiat with the American General Motors in 2005, he trumpets that a choice is necessary: ​​to grow or die.

In January 2009, Fiat announces its proposed alliance with Chrysler. In June, the American leaves bankruptcy, Fiat takes operational control without paying a dime and Marchionne becomes the general manager.

The boss then immediately reveals his plan to buy the German Opel but he loses the battle against the Canadian Magna.

This marriage to Chrysler has a scent of revenge for the boss who left the poor Abruzzo region of Italy at the age of 14 for Canada with his parents. "I spoke English with a strong Italian accent, it took me more than six years to lose, six years lost with girls," he said in May 2009 in La Stampa.

M. Marchionne, who has two children, studied law and management in Canada and began his career as a tax specialist for Deloitte and Touche.

Prior to joining Fiat, he was General Manager of the Swiss group SGS, the world's leading certification company, of which he is still president.