Peugeot brand chief to lead growth plan

PSA Peugeot Citroꬠhas promoted managing director of the Peugeot brand Frederic Saint-Geours to a senior group role to spearhead its ambitious growth plans.

PSA Peugeot Citroën has promoted managing director of the Peugeot brand Frederic Saint-Geours to a senior group role to spearhead its ambitious growth plans.

Saint-Geours, who was only reappointed to head the Peugeot brand for a further four years in a restructure in February, becomes adviser to PSA’s chairman and chief executive, Christian Streiff. Insiders say he will effectively be Streiff’s number two.

Saint-Geours will be replaced as head of Peugeot by the marque’s vice-president of purchasing Jean-Philippe Collin. The changes will take effect from the start of next year.

Streiff outlined a series of targets in September that included doubling PSA’s profits and developing more upmarket vehicles. He wants to increase global vehicle sales to 4 million within three years, from 3.4 million in 2006.

Revealing details of his three-year plan, called Cap 2010, Streiff set a target of a consolidated operating margin of 5.5-6% in 2010, and 6-7% by 2015. Peugeot’s group operating margin is 2-3%. PSA will also develop “competitive premium” models in each vehicle segment under Streiff’s plans.

As part of the last realignment at the start of this year, PSA handed responsibility for marketing its two marques to Isabelle Marey-Semper (MW February 15). She joined the car company from consumer electronics group Thomson Group.

The restructure, which included the extension of the group’s managing board and the creation of a new executive committee, also saw Gilles Michel promoted to head the Citroën brand. Streiff had taken over as chairman and chief executive the previous week.

Michel’s position at Citroën is unaffected by the latest restructure.