Jean-Michel Billig named Chief Technology Officer for hydrogen fuel cell development
Opel Brand CEO Uwe Hochgeschurtz takes on additional responsibility to pilot commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles worldwide
AMSTERDAM – Stellantis N.V. is pleased to announce that Jean-Michel Billig, former Naval Group executive, will join Stellantis as Chief Technology Officer for hydrogen fuel cell vehicle development, effective June 27, 2022. Stellantis also announced that Opel Brand CEO Uwe Hochgeschurtz will take on the additional role of piloting commercialization of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles worldwide.
“Jean-Michel’s broad spectrum of experiences in aircraft, aerospace, automotive and naval industries will contribute to bringing additional ideas to boost Stellantis’ ambition in hydrogen fuel cell sales and address the widest range of zero emission mobility requirements,” said Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO. “Having Jean-Michel and Uwe in these complementary roles illustrates our commitment to enhancing our leadership in hydrogen fuel cell technology and reaching the ambitious sustainability goals of our Dare Forward 2030 strategic plan.”
Jean-Michel Billig started his career in 1988 at Aerospatiale in the Helicopter Division then moved to Schlumberger Industries. In 1995, he joined Aerospatiale as Marketing Director for the Americas. In 1998, he moved to Airbus where he successively managed, Avionic Equipment Purchasing, Systems Engineering and became CTO at Eurocopter. In 2012, he was appointed EVP Engineering, Quality and IS of Renault Group. In 2015, he joined Zodiac Aerospace as CEO Zodiac Seats, then in 2017 joined Naval Group as EVP of the Australian Future Submarine Program. Billig will report to Harald Wester, Chief Engineering Officer and functionally to Ned Curic, Chief Technology Officer.
Uwe Hochgeschurtz will add this new role to his current position as Opel Brand CEO since September 2021. He will lead a dedicated team to strengthening the Company’s commercial offensive with specific focus on European market initially.
Late last year, Stellantis began customer deliveries of its efficient Hydrogen Fuel Cell Zero Emission solution that combines the advantages of hydrogen fuel cells and electric battery technology in a fuel cell electric vehicle. This solution is particularly suited to the needs of light commercial vehicle customers requiring long-range, fast refueling and zero-emissions, all without compromising payload capacity.
About Stellantis
Stellantis N.V. (NYSE / MTA / Euronext Paris: STLA) is one of the world’s leading automakers and a mobility provider. Its storied and iconic brands embody the passion of their visionary founders and today’s customers in their innovative products and services, including Abarth, Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Citroën, Dodge, DS Automobiles, Fiat, Jeep®, Lancia, Maserati, Opel, Peugeot, Ram, Vauxhall, Free2move and Leasys. Powered by our diversity, we lead the way the world moves – aspiring to become the greatest sustainable mobility tech company, not the biggest, while creating added value for all stakeholders as well as the communities in which it operates. For more information, visit www.stellantis.com.