Fresh Faces at Meta's Boardroom
John Elkann secures placement as a director on the Meta board.
In a strategic move, Mark Zuckerberg, the big cheese at Meta, has welcomed fresh blood to its board of directors. The lucky ones include John Elkann (48), a multinational heavyweight with a robust resume. Known for his role as the boss man at Exor, an investment conglomerate with a varied portfolio, Elkann also chairs Ferrari and Stellantis - the latter he currently runs on an interim basis. Joining the Meta squad, Elkann shares the boardroom with Dana White, the president and CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), and investor Charlie Songhurst.
Contrary to rumors swirling around, Elkann hasn't dropped or assumed any new roles following his Meta appointment. He remains steadfast in his positions at Exor, Ferrari, and Stellantis. Recently, Stellantis announced a planned investment of €2 billion in Italy this year.
In his day job, Elkann's at the helm of Stellantis, managing the company as it weathers the storm following the exit of CEO Carlos Tavares early December. Elkann's task now is to mend the strained relations between Stellantis' leadership, the Italian government, and unions. The auto giant's management and the government have had their share of differences, a fact made clear by Stellantis' commitment to electric vehicles that's met with controversy in Italy[1].
Although the details of Meta's new board appointment don't seem to have directly impacted Elkann's roles at Stellantis, the challenges faced by the automotive sector, such as dealing with U.S. tariffs, shifting to electric vehicles, and navigating fraught relationships with governments and unions, may contribute to ongoing tensions[3][4].
[1] https://www.bloombergquint.com/autos/still-in-charge-elkann-faces-challenge-at-stillantis[2] https://www.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/cars-scrutinized-through-glass-celebrity-packed-house-geneva-auto-show-2022-03-03/[3] https://uk.reuters.com/business/autos-transportation/italys-industry-ministry-calls-u-s-tariffs-unacceptable-2020-06-03/[4] https://www.autonews.com/automakers-suppliers/exor-and-ferrari-chairman-elkann-concerned-us-tariffs-affecting-automotive-sector[5] https://sme.eureporter.com/news/world-latin-america/2158506-carlos-tavares-steps-down-as-chairman-of-stellantis-amid-pushback-against-new-electric-car-strategy/
John Elkann serves as chairman of Stellantis, a position he has held amidst challenges like finding a new CEO following Carlos Tavares' departure and dealing with U.S. tariffs affecting the automotive sector. As chairman, he's also voiced concerns about U.S. tariffs[4]. Additionally, Elkann is currently managing the tense relationship between Stellantis' leadership and the Italian government and unions [5].
John Elkann, who serves as the chairman of Stellantis, is handling ongoing challenges such as finding a new CEO following Carlos Tavares' departure and addressing U.S. tariffs affecting the automotive sector. He has also voiced concerns about U.S. tariffs [4]. Furthermore, as chairman, Elkann is managing the tense relationship between Stellantis' leadership, the Italian government, and unions [5]. As part of Meta's board, Elkann shares the boardroom with Dana White, the CEO of UFC, and investor Charlie Songhurst. Despite rumors, Elkann's appointment to Meta has not resulted in any changes to his roles at Exor, Ferrari, or Stellantis.
