Luca de Meo is a self-proclaimed ‘car guy’ who turned Renault Group around and reinvented Alpine – so his abrupt departure for the world of luxury goods is a sign of headwinds coming for the car indus

Renault SA is under pressure to quickly find a replacement for Chief Executive Officer Luca de Meo after the shock news of his planned departure, as the industry grapples with rising trade tensions and intense competition from Chinese manufacturers led by BYD Co.

Luca de Meo's abrupt departure as Renault CEO has kicked off a search for his successor, with analysts mentioning longtime insider Denis Le Vot and Maxime Picat of rival Stellantis as suitable fits to continue the French automaker's turnaround. Fiona Jones reports.