Interviews
30 Mar 16

“Citroën needs to be different”

Now DS is a standalone brand, Citroën is able to concentrate fully on itself. In June 2014, Linda Jackson took over as CEO at Citroën's Paris headquarters. She reveals how she is rebuilding Citroën into an outstanding brand – and above all a profitable one.

Carlos Tavares, head of the PSA Group, launched 'Back in the Race'. How is Citroën contributing to that plan?

Linda Jackson: “We’re on track. We contribute by having a clearly defined strategy, all the way to 2023. We will contribute in sales and profitability. Citroën is developing a coherent, efficient product line, thus improving the value of the brand, including residual values for both fleet and private customers. This means having the right products, communicating about them in the right way, setting the right price while minimising discounts, all in order to achieve the best TCO possible”.

How are you going to communicate the Citroën brand to corporate fleet managers?

Linda Jackson: “We will no longer be like everybody else. That hasn't worked. We need to be different – that's when Citroën is at its best. Looking back at our 96 years of history, we've always stood out with inspirational and audacious model designs, combined with a unique feel-good factor. We have to capture that essence again – but without becoming a niche manufacturer”.

“I prefer when people either positively love or actively dislike a new product. That's better than a non-descript feeling somewhere in between. Over the next two years, we have three new vehicles coming out, two of which we'll be premiering this year already. One will be the new Space Tourer, which we revealed in Geneva. All three will demonstrate the unique personality and spirit of Citroën, just like in the old days”.

How important is 'fleet' to Citroën?

Linda Jackson: “B2B sales represent a third of our business, in both cars and LCVs. So fleet is very important, and increasingly so, as the quality of our new models and services increases as well. We know dedicated services are crucial to fleet customers, whether in after-sales or as driver contact via connected technology. That's why we need to provide fleet customers with a seamless experience in both fields, while focusing on useful services. We have 900 business centres around the world with dedicated fleet services. All of our cars can be fitted with Citroën Connect Fleet Management to assist driver behaviour and vehicle fleet management. So our fleet package is complete, and up and running. Now it’s high time we deliver results, and we will audit these results via customer experience evaluations”.

2015 wasn’t the easiest year in terms of sales. What is Citroën's outlook for 2016, in Europe and across the globe?

Linda Jackson: “With global sales at 1.2 million, we had stability in 2015. Registration-wise, we were up 5% in Europe, with 730,000 vehicles sold, though. It took us a while, but we are finding the right balance between volume and profitability – and I prefer profitability to chasing market share. To increase profitability, we will reduce our car model platforms from 14 to 7 and offer global models in the A to D segments over the upcoming 5 years”.

“Our aim is to achieve 5% market share in Europe by 2018-'19, and surpass the 1.5-million sales cap. Since 2008, our sales outside Europe have doubled from 20% to 40%, and we're heading towards 50%. So the world's other regions are important too. China is now more important to us than France itself, and there's more growth to come. Especially in the Middle East and Africa, and of course in Turkey. Being global is more than having a presence in China and Europe!”

Exactly. There's also North America, for example.

Linda Jackson: “That's true. And let's not forget India. We're certainly considering entering the U.S. market, which is attractive in terms of volume and increasingly accepting of stylish, European brands. However, distribution could be an issue. Let's say that the moment isn't there yet”.

How is Citroën doing in the smart mobility department?

Linda Jackson: “We're moving away from the age of the car, towards the age of mobility – especially in city centres. We're also witnessing a new generation that wants access to cars without owning them. So we are intent on providing car-based mobility, focusing on electrified powertrains and connectivity. On Group level, we have the Share Your Fleet mobility programme, and we're testing another car-sharing initiative. We're currently also testing driverless car technology, using a C4 Picasso on the route between Paris and Bordeaux. So we don't fear mobility – we embrace it. But as a car manufacturer, our mobility concepts will always be centred on the car itself”.

Authored by: Steven Schoefs