Alpine names Cupra exec as sales chief

PARIS -- Alpine, Renault Group’s sports and racing brand, has announced two executive appointments as it prepares to expand to a full lineup of vehicles and potentially to the U.S. market.

Antonino Labate, now chief operating officer at Cupra, will be vice president, sales and marketing and customer experience. David Gendry, now Alpine’s vice president communications and marketing, will be vice president sponsorship, partnerships and communications.

Both Labate and Gendry will report to CEO Laurent Rossi.

Labate has more than 30 years of automotive experience, Alpine said, starting at Fiat. In 2007 he became chief operations officer at Abarth and in 2013 became CEO of Fiat Chrysler’s dealership network in Europe, Middle East and Africa. He was named director of strategy, business development and operation at Cupra, part of the Volkswagen Group.

Under Renault Group CEO Luca de Meo, also a VW and Fiat veteran, Alpine is developing a full lineup of sporty cars to complement the existing A110. 

They include a small full-electric hot hatchback and a compact SUV. Future models include midsize and large crossovers, and a replacement for the A110. De Meo and Rossi also hope to expand to the U.S. market.