De Meo will take over from BMW CEO Oliver Zipse on January 1, 2023, who has held the position for two years.
Zipse said: “These past years have been marked by the COVID pandemic, supply chain disruptions, the war in Ukraine and the energy crisis – all of which have had a profound impact on our sector.
“Nevertheless, the European auto industry has been the reliable industrial backbone of the EU in highly volatile times. At the same time, we have been cautioning against over-regulation and calling for technology-neutrality to be the base of EU competitiveness.”
De Meo added: “Looking ahead, we need Europe urgently to implement policies that fully support our decarbonisation goal, and enable us to face growing global competition.
“We welcome the work on a European Raw Materials Act, which should support the continent’s economic resilience and the shift to zero emissions. Our industry is committed to investing heavily in e-mobility, and to securing value creation and jobs in Europe.
“The Euro 7 proposal in its current shape, however, would draw away massive human and financial resources from electrification, at the very time when other world regions are creating an attractive investment environment for zero-emissions mobility.”
