“Unfortunately, exactly what we all feared has happened,” Elkann said. “Sergio Marchionne, the man and friend, has passed away.”
A few days before this, it became known that after a planned surgical intervention, Marchionne's condition deteriorated sharply. In this regard, the board of directors of the concern decided to appoint a new CEO. This post was taken by Mike Manley, who previously headed the Jeep and Ram brands.
Later, Marchionne's lawyer reported that during an operation on his right shoulder, he fell into a coma. Doctors confirmed irreversible brain damage, excluding the possibility of recovery. The complication after the operation was caused by a tumor found in the upper part of the lung.
Marchionne became the head of Fiat in 2004. Under his management, Chrysler was acquired in 2014 and the FCA concern was formed. In 2016, he spun off Ferrari from the combined company. In June of this year, Marchionne presented a new five-year development plan for the concern, with the main focus on Jeep, Maserati, and Alfa Romeo. The top manager planned to step down as head of FCA in 2019.
