Today, in the age of huge business and massive parent companies, the number of family-run car makers is not what it was.
Yet some big power remains – and there's no power quite like a controlling stake in the business.
This category in the Power List 100, sponsored by Keyloop, is for those who by birth – or other means – have a big say in their company's direction, even if they leave the day-to-day running to the CEO.
When the demands of the money markets push companies into making decisions better suited for short-term gain, these are the people with the bigger picture who look to create a legacy.
Power List 100 2023 - Grandee stakeholders
John Elkann, chairman, Stellantis
As the great-grandson of Fiat founder Giovanni Agnelli, it was only natural that he would follow in his footsteps. Elkann is a big name in the automotive world, having been instrumental in the successful merger of FCA and PSA to form the giant that is Stellantis – a move that has, among other things, kept the Fiat name alive. Now thriving, Stellantis will offer more than 75 EVs by 2030.
Stefan Quandt, deputy chairman of the supervisory board, BMW AG; largest shareholder
As billionaire heir to the BMW brand, Stefan Quandt has a lot of pull within the firm. Sitting alongside figures like Norbert Reithofer on the supervisory board, he owns about a quarter of the marque. He is the son of Herbert Quandt, who almost merged BMW and Daimler-Benz in the 1950s but was dissuaded by union opposition.
Akio Toyoda, chairman of the board, Toyota
The long-serving president of Toyota Akio Toyoda is another to follow in his family’s footsteps, heading up the brand his grandfather founded. The world’s second-largest car maker (pipped by Volkswagen last year) has thrived under him. Although a leader in hybrids, the brand has moved more cautiously in bringing in EVs so far, releasing just the bZ4X.
Hans Dieter Pötsch, chairman, supervisory board of Volkswagen AG
As chairman of both the supervisory board of Volkswagen AG and executive board of Porsche SE, Hans Dieter Pötsch is a key figure in the group and was seen as brokering peace between the unions and former CEO Herbert Diess in 2021. He was appointed in 2015 after the emissions scandal.
Jean-Dominique Senard, chairman of the board of directors, Renault Group
Parachuted in as Renault chairman in 2019 by the French state, its largest shareholder, the veteran industrialist was given a brief to save the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi Alliance – which he did against all odds, following the ousting of Carlos Ghosn. After a bumpy two years, the Alliance is set to again blossom under a new agreement.
Wolfgang Porsche, chairman, Porsche AG and Porsche Automobil Holding SE
Yet another to carry the family mantle (grandson of Ferdinand Porsche), Wolfgang Porsche holds huge sway over the VW Group as chairman of its holding company, Porsche SE, as well as Porsche itself, the group’s most profitable entity. That profit comes from the firm’s 309,884 sales last year, which it’ll look to surpass in 2023.
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