Business
Marchionne’s Unfinished Business: Selling Jeeps in China
The rock star CEO had a blind spot in the rapidly expanding market, and now Fiat Chrysler has to play catch-up.
Sergio Marchionne
Photographer: Kevin Hagen/Getty ImagesThis article is for subscribers only.
Editor’s Note: Sometimes the boss can put his company in a tough place. Here’s an overview of the types of key man risk.
Two years ago, Cui Baochuan bought a Jeep Cherokee, attracted by the rugged, go-anywhere image of the $38,000 American SUV and its ability to navigate through the winter snows that can cover roads near his home in China’s Shandong province. Today the 46-year-old mobile phone store manager says he’s tired of buying the gas for his 20-mile commute. “This is a huge disappointment,” he says. “Next time I’ll get an SUV that’s more fuel-efficient.”