The 2019 World Car Person Of The Year — Sergio Marchionne

The World Car Awards jury named Sergio Marchionne the 2019 World Car Person of the Year, along with announcing the final shortlists for the multiple categories for the 2019 World Car Awards.

Marchionne completed a 14-year stretch at Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (FCA). He joined Fiat's board of directors in 2003 as an independent director. This was about the time when the Italian brand was on the point of collapse, and its shares fell to an all-time low. Although he had no significant experience in the auto industry, he earned a reputation as a hard-working, investor-friendly executive with an outstanding ability to turn around companies that seemed too far gone to save. He retired as the CEO of Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles, and Ferrari.

The award was accepted on his behalf by current FCA President and CEO, Mike Manley.

Speaking at the Geneva motor show, Mike Manley, FCA's President and CEO, said, "It is an honour for me to receive this recognition from the World Car Awards' jury, made posthumously to Sergio Marchionne. He was not one for pomp or fuss, preferring instead duty to the company he led for 14 years and the nurturing of a leadership team to take his legacy forward. I accept this award in this spirit and with thanks."

The jury said they recognised Marchionne's feats of bringing together Fiat and Chrysler and turning the two brands into a profitable single global entity. They further recognized his achievement in turning Ferrari into an independent and rich global entity.

The 86 member jury voted Marchionne over several other industry executives, engineers, designers and entrepreneurs from across the world.

Fiat-Chrysler Automobiles (India) currently sell the Urban Cross, Abarth Punto, Punto Evo, Linea, and the Avventura models under the Fiat brand, and the Compass, Wrangler Unlimited, Grand Cherokee, and the Grand Cherokee SRT under the Jeep brand.

Thoughts On Sergio Marchionne Winning The 2019 World Car Person Of The Year

Congratulations Sergio! What you did with Ferrari, Fiat, and Chrysler is a feat very few are capable of. That said, we're wondering if Jeep will bring the Gladiator models to India.

Sergio Marchionne passed away on July 25, 2018 due to complication from a previous shoulder surgery.