FCA has named Davide Grasso as Chief Operating Officer (COO) of Maserati in an attempt to breathe new life into the Italian sports car brand and boost sales.
Grasso was a long-tenured executive at Nike, where he even acted as Chief Marketing Officer for a little over three years, before becoming President and CEO of Converse in 2016 – a position he held until February of this year.
At Converse, Grasso positioned the iconic streetwear brand for long-term sustainable growth, something Maserati could definitely use moving forward. FCA also appointed him to the company’s Group Executive Council, or GEC.
“With Davide’s arrival, we continue to round out FCA’s senior leadership team with world class talent,” said FCA boss Mike Manley. “He brings a wealth of brand expertise to one of the most historic marks in the automotive world. […] Davide will be a valuable advisor to the GEC on brand matters across the FCA portfolio.”
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Meanwhile, the former Nike and Converse exec had this to say about his new position: “Joining Maserati at such a transformational time is an extraordinary opportunity that speaks to my passion for cars, great brands and my personal Italian heritage. Working with Mike Manley, Harald Wester and the rest of the FCA team will be a privilege. I’m honored to be joining FCA at such a defining and transformative moment for the company and the industry.”
In a related move, Fiat Chrysler also appointed Harald Wester as Executive Chairman of Maserati, thus expanding on his responsibilities as Chief Technical Officer to include global powertrain and global vehicle engineering for the group.
