Fiat is evaluating bids for the unit after rejecting an initial offer by KKR's Calsonic Kansei, people familiar with the matter said on Sept 16. Mr Gorlier was one of Mr Marchionne's closest aides. He joined Fiat in 1989 as a market analyst for its Iveco truck maker and moved to the parent company in 2006. When Fiat agreed to take management control of Chrysler in 2009, Mr Gorlier was one of the few executives who moved from Turin to Detroit. In 2015 he was named head of Marelli and lead its turnaround as Fiat was preparing to spin off the unit. The Italian manager will face a number of challenges: maintaining profit in the region that typically underperforms others at Fiat Chrysler amid price competition and lower margins; complete the transformation from mass-car production to more profitable Alfa Romeos and Maseratis, and moving from diesel to hybrid and electric cars, including at two engine plants in Italy.