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26 AUTODATA ASKS » GLOBAL LEADERSHIP April 2018 | AutoData By Leandro Alves, from Goiana, PE DR FCA’s all-powerful Sergio Marchionne was in Brazil at the end of March to inaugurate the third shift of the Jeep factory in Goiana, PE, according to him the most modern of the Group in the world, and that will spend the next twelve months operating in its capacity maximum of 250 thousand units. Humorous, the CEO of FCA since 2009 - started at Fiat in 2004 - is about to complete ten years in the top position of global leadership of his company, which he will leave in 2019 to remain only in Ferrari. And, playfully, he says that after that he intends to dedicate himself to... journalism. Sergio Marchionne, of FCA It is easy to come out and criticize the government. We have to remember that we have been participants of the local game for more than 40 years. Looking from the outside, we understand the problem. With our experience and what we have witnessed, Brazil handled it incredibly well and now we are starting to see at least the beginning of an economic recovery. We continue to believe in the opportunity that exists here in Latin America. Trade flows are now shaping up in relation to the position that has been taken by the United States in terms of free trade agreements. The relationship with Mexico has developed and seems to be a significant change in economic terms. I think there is an opportunity for places like Latin America, particularly Brazil, to fill the void that was created by a kind of lack of international trade. I never said that the FCA was for sale. We are not after this, we do not want this. We were very clear that GM was not interested, but there were rumors about the Germans and the Chinese. The house is not looking to be sold. We have spent a considerable amount of time in the last fifteen years and, more importantly, in the last five years, to build a great global business. We are now in the final stage of a five-year plan that will be closed in 2018. On June 1 we will announce another plan that will lead us to 2022. I think the combination of all of this suggests that we are happy alone. 2 3 We have heard of possible FCA partnerships with several companies. Is it true? What are your expectations regarding Brazil? What are the main bottlenecks of the Brazilian economy? What is the role of the region in the growth projected by you until 2022? 1