New Chrysler’s Dream Team

Under the new ownership of Cerberus CapitalDaimlerChrysler AG, it still hired former
Management LP, the company started to form itsDaimlerChrysler personnel, Andreas Schell to be the
dream team for Chrysler’s revival. Cerberus firstDirector of its Recovery and Transformation plan.
appointed Home Depot executive Robert Nardelli asSchell will also be in charge of supervising the material
CEO and at the same time demoting Tim Lasorda,cost management and will also be the executive
former CEO to being Vice Chairman and President.planner for the Nardelli.
The Nardelli – Lasorda team seems not thatAppointed just last weekend, the newest member of
promising enough to revive Chrysler, and additionalline-up is Phil Murtaugh. Formerly the Chairman of
automotive tycoons will pose higher resurgence rateGM’s China Operations, Murtaugh will now be
for Chrysler LLC.Chrysler’s Chief for Asian Operations.
For the first 30 days of Cerberus’ tenure ofBefore the dream team crossed Chrysler’s wall,
Chrysler, it appointed several automotive industrythe recovery plan for the company had already been
magnates to reinforce the Nardelli – Lasorda withlaid last February by Tom Lasorda, covering cost
Jim Press, Deborah Wahl Meyer, Andreas Schell andreductions and cutting almost 13,000 jobs, as well as
now, Philip Murtaugh.focus on creating more fuel-efficient vehicles and
Jim Press was formerly CEO of Toyota’s Northpromoting global growth through establishing strong
American Operations, his leadership at Toyota posedalliances. Nardelli, with his team wants to see this plan
great risks for GM and Ford Motors (affiliate toin action.
another Japanese car maker Mazda, manufacturer of“We don’t need another strategy. We need
Mazda car parts) sales slope and eventually rise forto focus on execution.” said Nardelli.
the Japanese brand. He entered Chrysler’s roofFor Nardelli, the company needs to concentrate on
last September 6 to share the Vice-chairmanship andfive initiatives: focusing on customers, improving
Presidency with Tom Lasorda. He will be in charge inquality, becoming more environmentally sensitive,
overseeing Chrysler’s North American andexpanding globally and reinvesting in its people.
International sales, global marketing, product strategy,Those initiatives sound very promising. But before
and service and parts.Nardelli came into the picture, quality improvement
Before Press entered the Chrysler picture, anotherhad already been Chrysler’s goal for such a long
Toyota executive was already in by the persona oftime. Nardelli’s predecessor, Dieter Zetsche,
Deborah Wahl Meyer. Meyer was formerlypromised the world that by 2007, Chrysler’s
Toyota’s Luxury division, Lexus’vehicles would match the quality of those from
Vice-president of Marketing. In Chrysler, she willToyota. For now, Nardelli will be the one to achieve
occupy the Chief of Marketing post.that, only that it will set his own date.
Although Chrysler is no longer a member of the