2003 Dodge Avenger Concept - The Future Looks Bright for Dodge Cars
 |
| Chrysler Group CEO Dieter Zetsche. (Photo: DaimlerChrysler) |
You just never know who you're going to meet in a bar, right? After the second media day at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit I strolled across the road to the Fire Hall, a makeshift lounge/restaurant whipped up by DaimlerChrysler just for the occasion. I checked my coat and rolling suitcase packed full of media press kits at the door and wandered wearily over to the bar only to be greeted by a tireless, smiling mustachioed face, none other than Dieter Zetsche. What a surprise!
 |
| The Dodge Avenger concept being introduced to thousands of automotive media at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. (Photo: Trevor Hofmann, Canadian Auto Press) |
Yep, the same Chrysler Group CEO that was up on stage introducing a bevy of cool concept cars a few hours earlier, the very same business mogul who is doing such a fine job of steering North America's number three automaker toward consistent profitability, was serving me a drink. Cool! How can you not like an exec that gets down with the common folk, laughing, joking and mixing it up, literally?
Zetsche's breath-of-fresh-air enthusiasm is very real, and extremely contagious. He's the kind of leader that not only can rally the troops, but give them a sense of meaning, something to believe in. The kind of CEO that is proving to have what it takes to redefine a brand, keeping what's good and leaving the rest far behind.