Renault said on Monday it has appointed former Mercedes-Benz executive Katrin Adt as managing director of its budget brand Dacia, part of a broader management reshuffle under new chief executive François Provost.
Adt, who succeeds Denis Le Vot, previously led the Smart brand, headed Mercedes-Benz Own Retail Europe, and most recently served as vice president of corporate audit at Mercedes-Benz. Renault said Le Vot, once considered among the frontrunners for the group’s top job, will now leave the company.
The French carmaker also named Fabrice Cambolive, currently head of the Renault brand, to the newly created position of chief growth officer. Provost, appointed CEO in July after the abrupt departure of Luca De Meo, said the changes will help the company adapt to rising competition and weak demand.
“To meet all the challenges facing us, we need an organisation capable of making faster decisions, executing more efficiently, and being ever closer to its customers,” Provost said.
Industry analysts said Adt’s retail expertise will be important for Dacia. “Dacia obviously is an extremely retail-focused brand, more so than others. So that brings in some new blood,” said Michael Foundoukidis, analyst at ODDO BHF.
Provost added: “Under Denis’ leadership, the Dacia brand has become a strong brand with an attractive line-up, embedding a larger customer base. In the name of Renault Group, I would like to express my gratitude to Denis for all his achievements throughout the years. I wish to welcome Katrin Adt, whose experience within the automotive industry will be a key asset for Dacia.”
Fabrice Cambolive said Adt would help drive the brand’s electrification plans. “Her extensive knowledge and expertise in business development will enable us to continue the brand’s momentum and, above all, to tackle the next challenge together: electrifying the product range ‘à la Dacia’,” he said.
Adt, who has nearly 26 years of automotive experience, said she was looking forward to leading the Romanian brand. “I am excited to be joining the Renault Group and to take the helm of the Dacia brand. It is a privilege to contribute to writing the next chapter of its remarkable success story,” she said.
Dacia, known for its affordable cars, is expanding its line-up with the launch of the Bigster SUV and aims to establish itself as a benchmark in the budget electric vehicle segment.
