Press reclines against a Tacoma

Chrysler's fresh-faced CEO Robert Nardelli has just pulled Jim Press, a sales and marketing pundit, from out of the arms of rival Toyota.

This marks Nardelli's second major talent snatch from the Japanese automaker.

In mid-August Nardelli hired Deborah Meyer, Toyota's former Vice President of Marketing. Meyer is now serving as VP and CMO of Chrysler.

According to BusinessWeek, Jim Press led Toyota down the path to surpassing Ford as second-best seller in the 2007 market. Press' decisions were also key to turning Lexus into a major luxury brand in the US.