Dongfeng Peugeot Citroën announces new general manager

Gasgoo.com (Shanghai January 26) - Dongfeng Peugeot Citroën Automobile Co., Ltd., the largest Sino-French joint venture, made an announcement that the company would bring French-selected deputy general manager Maxime Picat to take over Liu Weidong's recently vacated position of company general manager, the Shenzhen Economic Daily reported earlier today.

Maxime Picat, a graduate of Mines ParisTech, has been with the PSA Group since 1998, originally serving as head of the company's Mulhouse welding factory. He was later sent to China to take charge of the joint venture's Wuhan factory. Mr. Picat has been working in the company's Chinese branch for over three years.

According to sources within the company, Xu Ping, chairman and general manager of Dongfeng Motor Corporation, and Philippe Varin, president of PSA Peugeot Citroën, made the decision at a meeting held at the company's Wuhan headquarters. In addition to Picat's appointment as general manager, Dongfeng Motor's deputy general manager Qiu Xiandong took his place as the joint venture's executive deputy manager. New appointments for ten other positions, including the JV's Peugeot and Citroën business department managerial posts, were also announced at the meeting.

Dongfeng Peugeot Citroën Automobile Co. was originally established in 1992 as a partnership between Chinese automaker Dongfeng Motors and the French Peugeot SA. In 2002 Dongfeng's status was elevated as it entered a direct partnership with Peugeot's parent company, PSA Peugeot Citroën. The company is China's third largest joint venture and the world's largest Sino-French collaboration, with its 2010 sales reaching 373,000 vehicles.