Who was the CEO of Chrysler when it was bailed out in 2009?

Robert “Bob” Nardelli was Chrysler’s chairman and CEO when the automaker received federal assistance and entered bankruptcy proceedings in 2009. He had taken over Chrysler in 2007, after previously serving as chief executive of Home Depot.

The 2008–09 financial crisis intensified Chrysler’s existing problems, including falling vehicle sales, heavy costs, and limited access to credit. The U.S. government provided billions of dollars in support through the Troubled Asset Relief Program, but the company’s restructuring plan was judged inadequate as a stand-alone solution. Chrysler filed for Chapter 11 protection on April 30, 2009.

Nardelli announced that he would leave once Chrysler emerged from bankruptcy. In June 2009, substantially all of the old company’s assets were transferred to a newly formed Chrysler Group LLC, with Fiat receiving an initial stake. Sergio Marchionne then became the new company’s CEO, which explains why he is often associated with Chrysler’s post-bailout recovery rather than the bailout-era leadership itself. Lee Iacocca and Bob Eaton led Chrysler during much earlier periods.