• by Tanya Gazdik , Yesterday

Lucy McLellan, one of the top marketing executives at Stellantis, announced she is leaving the company.

McLellan, who has been with the automaker for 15 years, added duties in February as part of a global restructuring. She had been senior vice president, global chief marketing and communications officer at Jeep since February 2022 and added the title of head of marketing, North America. She reports to Olivier Francois, global CMO of Stellantis Group.

A company spokesperson could not be reached for comment on Sunday.

Her last day at Stellantis is July 11, McLellan tells Marketing Daily. She is leaving for a non-automotive company, which will announce her new role imminently. 

She posted on LinkedIn about the “difficult decision," especially so soon after taking on the added responsibilities. 

“In such a short time, the work we have created together with our U.S. team has been career-defining,” she writes. “From two award-winning Super Bowl spots to Hollywood partnerships and the re-brand of Ram with the return of the V8 Hemi. For that girl from Down Under, it’s pinch-yourself stuff.”

McLellan spent six years at BMW Australia before coming to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles Australia in 2012 where she held several leadership positions for the next five years. 

“I was put to work immediately on the iconic ‘I bought a Jeep’ campaign in Australia -- which catapulted the brand into pop culture and household vernacular,” she writes. “It also drove record sales -- doubling our results each year.”

Next was a stint as head of marketing, public relations and customer experience, Asia Pacific and China for Jeep before moving to to vice president, corporate communications, India and Asia Pacific for Stellantis. 

“Over the next decade, the company gave me both countless and amazing opportunities to lead marketing and communications across Asia Pacific, India and China,” she writes. “From launching the Jeep brand in India to transforming manufacturing facilities into surgical mask production lines during COVID, coupled with the merger which formed Stellantis -- the opportunities and challenges were varied and equally rewarding.”

She expressed gratitude in her post to the Stellantis executives who had mentored her over the past 15 years, including Francois.

“With a house of the world’s most iconic and celebrated auto brands, this company has the grit, fortitude and swagger to take on even the toughest of times in the industry,” she writes. “I’ll be cheering from afar. Next chapter coming soon.”

Jeep recently poached a Genesis marketing executive for its marketing stable. Wendy Orthman joined the company June 2 as vice president of brand marketing and communications and reports directly to Bob Broderdorf, chief executive officer of Jeep, with dotted line reporting to McLellan.