Hanon Systems, a subsidiary of Hankook & Company Group, has reported an 8.9% year-over-year increase in net sales to 2.6 trillion Korean won ($1.8 billion) in the first quarter ended March 31, 2025. The South Korean company, a specialist in automotive thermal systems, attributed higher sales to favorable foreign exchange rates and increased production volumes. Despite the increase in revenue, Hanon reported an operating profit of 20.9 billion won, representing a 68.5% ...

Hanon Systems, a global provider of automotive thermal energy management solutions, has appointed Soo Il Lee as its new CEO, effective Jan. 3, the company announced in a press release. This announcement follows a recent shareholders and board of directors meeting, indicating a significant shift in leadership. Lee, who previously served as vice chairman of Hankook Tire, brings extensive expertise from the global mobility market to his new role. His leadership at Hankook Tire resulted in record...

MAHLE, an automotive supplier, is restructuring its organization to improve efficiency and speed in implementing its MAHLE 2030+ strategy, focusing on electrification and the thermal management business. This reorganization includes merging current business units and reducing the group management board from seven to four members. MAHLE will also acquire the remaining shares in MAHLE Behr GmbH & Co. KG, increasing its stake to 100% and emphasizing its commitment to thermal management as a cri...

BorgWarner Inc. announced a significant leadership change set to take place on Feb. 6, 2025, as Joseph Fadool, currently the executive vice president and COO, will assume the role of president and CEO. This transition comes as Frédéric Lissalde, the current president and CEO, prepares for retirement and will step down from the board of directors. To facilitate a smooth transition, Lissalde will serve in an advisory capacity until Aug. 30, 2025. Alexis P. Michas, non-executive chairman of th...

Dana Inc., headquartered in Maumee, Ohio, announced the appointment of Seth Metzger as the new senior vice president and chief technology officer, effective Oct. 9. He succeeds Christophe Dominiak, who is retiring from the company. Metzger, who has been part of Dana for over two decades, brings a wealth of experience in engineering and technology development to his new role. Prior to this appointment, he significantly contributed to the company's advancements in electrification as the senior ...

Freudenberg Group announced that Claus Möhlenkamp, a veteran Freudenberg executive, has been appointed as the next CEO of Freudenberg SE and speaker of the management board Freudenberg & Co. Kommanditgesellschaft. He replaces Mohsen Sohi, who is set to retire as the chairman of the management board on June 30, 2025. Ahead of this transition, Möhlenkamp will join both boards as deputy chairman on Jan. 1, 2025. Möhlenkamp brings over 30 years of experience within Freudenbe...

In a press release dated July 23, Sogefi announced that Frédéric Sipahi has resigned as CEO and general manager in order to undertake a new and different professional project. Sipahi’s resignation from his role as CEO will be effective at the end of July, and from his role as general manager at the end of August. Sogefi has decided to activate the noncompete clause provided under his employment contract for a duration of one year, which entails the payment of a total g...

Kongsberg Automotive (KA) has appointed Christian Johansson as their new CFO, effective June 3. Johansson will succeed Frank Heffter, who has chosen to leave the organization to pursue new opportunities. Johansson brings with him over 30 years of global industrial and automotive experience, including a senior leadership role as the CFO of Volvo Trucks. His current position is as the interim Group CFO of Colmec Group and he has previously served in the same role for Lantmännen, SKF Group and ...

Valeo has appointed Edouard de Pirey as the new CFO, it said in a press release dated Jan. 2. De Pirey will replace Robert Charvier, who will retire on March 29 after 24 years with the company. Charvier will remain with Valeo in an advisory capacity until his departure. De Pirey began his career as a civil servant in New Caledonia before joining the French Ministry of Economy, Finance and Industry in 2006. He joined Valeo in 2009 as group vice president of Corporate Planning and Str...

In a Dec. 5 press release, US-based auto component supplier BorgWarner announced succession at the top leadership by naming Craig Aaron as executive vice president and CFO, effective March 1, 2024. Aaron will succeed Kevin Nowlan, the current executive vice president and CFO who is set to retire. Nowlan will stay with the company until April 1, 2024, to ensure a smooth transition. Speaking on the new appointment, Frédéric Lissalde, president and CEO, said, “Kevin has p...

Global thermal management and pneumatic-comfort technologies provider for the automotive industry, Gentherm, on August 16 announced the appointment of Vishnu Sundaram as senior vice president and chief technology officer, effective September 5. The company said, in this role, Sundaram will lead Gentherm’s technology strategy, advanced product engineering, longer-term research and development (R&D) and the company’s partnership ecosystem to continue Gentherm’s heritage of introducing...

South Korean automotive thermal and energy-management solutions supplier Hanon Systems announced the appointment of two co-CEOs. According to a company press release dated August 10, its board of directors has approved the appointment of Nurdal Kücükkaya and Ramachandran (Subu) Nagasubramony as co-CEOs of the company with immediate effect. Significance: Nagasubramony was appointed co-CEO along with the promotion to president. He leads the company alongside President and Co-CEO Nurda...

Knorr-Bremse AG has appointed Marc Llistosella as CEO for a period of three years with effective 1 January 2023, the company said in a press release on 13 October. Marc Llistosella, designated CEO of Knorr Bremse AG, said, “Knorr Bremse is a fascinating company and a true icon of German industry. It has stood for safe transportation for over 115 years and, as a global market leader, it drives innovation for sustainable, safety-critical system solutions. Together with its employees and the E...

US automaker Ford Motor Company has appointed Sam Wu as the new managing director and chief operating officer of Ford China, the company announced on 29 September 2022. Wu will join Ford China from 1 October 2022 and will be based in Shanghai and report to Ford China President Anning Chen, the company said in a statement Thursday. Wu has previously served in senior management roles in several major global companies across a broad range of industries. He will manage engineering, manufacturing,...

Varroc Engineering has appointed K Mahendra Kumar as the group’s Chief Financial Officer, it said in a press release on 28 September. Tarang Jain, managing director and chairman, Varroc Engineering Ltd, said, “We are pleased to welcome Mahendra to Varroc family. His proven expertise in Leadership, risk management, digital transformation, cost reduction, long term strategies, debt reduction, stakeholder wealth creation, profitability improvement and M&A amongst others will further enha...

Ford Motor Company announced on 22 September 2022 that the automaker is restructuring its top deck with an aim to strengthen its internal combustion product line and transform the company’s global supply chain management. The said management changes are being done as part of the company’s Ford+ plan, which intends to accelerate growth and value creation with the development of breakthrough electric vehicles at scale. Ford has named Doug Field as the new chief advanced product development ...

Restructuring its top deck, the German automotive supplier Webasto Group has promoted two internal candidates to its management board Yanni von Roy-Jiang, 42, and Jan Henning Mehlfeldt, 53, the company announced on 11 August 2022. Yanni von Roy-Jiang, who is currently serving as the executive vice president purchasing, will be the first Asian to join the company management board team, Webasto said in an official statement. She is promoted to become the chief operating officer and will assume ...

In a significant development to secure its top leadership, the Zurich-based electric sports car startup Piëch Automotive AG has appointed Manfred Fitzgerald, 58, as chairman of the Executive Board and co-CEO and Tobias Moers, 56, as the CTO and co-CEO of the company, it announced on 8 September 2022. Both Fitzgerald and Moers are industry veterans and are well-known for their noteworthy contribution to the luxury car market. The founders of Piëch Automotive, Toni Piëch and Rea Stark Rajcic...

ABC Technologies has appointed Terry Campbell as the company’s president and CEO, effective immediately following the mutual agreement for Todd Sheppelman to step down as president and CEO and as a director of the company, according to a press release by BusinessWire on 16 August.  Mr. Campbell joined ABC Technologies as CEO in 2022. He previously served as COO of The Woodbridge Group, a leading foam supplier to the automotive and other industries and has held business unit and operati...

Global automotive supplier Bosch announced on 19 July 2022 that the company is planning to restructure its ‘Mobility Solutions’ business into a business division with profit and loss responsibility with effect from 1 January 2023. Bosch further said that the company is appointing a new management team, which will be responsible for the ‘Mobility Solutions’ business and all its sub-divisions with effect from 1 October 2022. It added that the chairman of the new sector board will be Dr....

Stellantis has appointed Maxime Picat as its new Chief Purchasing and Supply Chain Officer, it said in a press release on 11 May. Maxime Picat’s appointment comes at a vital time when the automotive industry is going through a rapid transformation. His analytical skills and trusted relations with suppliers will enhance Stellantis’ short- and medium-term performance in the new E-mobility and alternative fuels ecosystem. Stellantis aims at lowering cost of EVs by 40% to ensure affordability, w...

Rheinmetall has announced that Dagmar Steinert will succeed Helmut P. Merch as the chief financial officer (CFO) of Rheinmetall from 1 January 2023, a company press release dated 3 May read. Steinert is currently a board member of Fuchs Petrolub, responsible for commercial and legal operations. Steinert had initially headed Rheinmetall’s accounting department from 2003 to 2013. Merch, who joined the company in 1982, had been the CFO since January 2013. He will retire at the...

German supplier of powertrain and thermal components MAHLE announced on 15 April 2022 that the company and its current chairman of the management board and chief executive officer Matthias Arleth have mutually decided to terminate the contract. As a result, Arleth, 54, will leave the company by the end of April. “This step is due to differing opinions on the future strategic orientation of the group,” the company said in a statement. Notably, Arleth had joined the technology group in Janu...

Dana has appointed Timothy R. Kraus as SVP and CFO, it said in a press release on 1 December. Kraus succeeds Jonathan Collins. Kraus most recently served as SVP of finance and treasurer in which he was responsible for Dana's global treasury operations, such as corporate liquidity and cash and risk management. Prior to joining Dana in 2010, Kraus held leadership roles with Intelsat S.A., Lear Corporation, and Ernst & Young. “Tim has been essential to the success of Dana's transformation ...

German automotive component manufacturer Continental AG announced on 30 September that its Supervisory Board has approved the Group’s restructuring with a focus on market developments and customer requirements. “The Executive Board decided on the organizational changes in September 2021 in view of the transformation of the mobility industry,” the company said in a statement, adding that ‘following the successful spin-off of Vitesco Technologies in mid-September 2021 and the decision t...

Global supplier of automotive fluid systems, TI Fluid Systems has appointed Hans Dieltjens as its new president and chief executive officer with effect from 1 October 2021, the company said in a press release on 21 September. Hans will succeed William L. Kozyra, who will retire on 1 October and step down from the Board of Directors. The company said that Hans will assume this leadership role at a strategically important time when it is implanting its electric vehicle strategy and working to r...

Zurich-based auto component supplier Kongsberg Automotive has appointed Dr. Christian Amsel as chief technology officer (CTO), who taken charge of the position with effect from 1 August 2021, the company said in a press release on 18 August. It added that Dr Amsel’s appointment is to support the company’s continuous growth and innovation strategy. “As CTO, Christian will oversee Kongsberg Automotive’s technology portfolio, and be responsible for new innovations and acquisitions. He...

Dr. Jörg Stratmann, Chairman of the Management Board and CEO of MAHLE Group will resign from his positions with effect from 31 March 2021, according to a company press release on 8 March 2021. The appointment of a successor by the Supervisory Board will take place without delay. Until the successor assumes office, Michael Frick, member of the Management Board responsible for Finance, IT, and other administrative areas, will take over the position as chairman of the Management Board and CEO. ...

Hanon Systems has appointed Min Suk Sung as the company’s new CEO and president, according to a  company press release on 18 January. Min Suk Sung succeeds Jay Son, who will assume the new role of vice chairman. Min Suk Sung serves as colead of the company along with corporate president Nurdal Kücükkaya. Hanon Systems chairman of the Board and chairman of Hahn & Company, the company's majority shareholder, Yeo-Eul Yoon said, "Hanon Systems is well-positioned to continue deliverin...

Japanese supplier DENSO has appointed Seiji Maeda as CEO of DENSO's North American operations, according to a company press release on 12 January. Maeda is also a senior director at DENSO. Prior to this post, Maeda served as head of Denso’s Motor Business Unit in Japan. From 2012–17, he held numerous positions such as director of Corporate Planning, general manager of Electronics Business Planning, and general manager of Thermal Systems Business Planning. Before those roles, Maeda spent n...

Thermal management technology and solutions provider, Modine Manufacturing Company, has announced that it has eliminated a senior executive position that previously served as VP Commercial and Industrial Solutions (CIS), and COO. Along with this change, Modine has also announced the departure of Scott Bowser, who previously held this combined position. According to a press release issued by Modine on 7 January, the company stated that global operations will be managed by Tom Drahos, who ...

Modine Manufacturing Company, a diversified major player in thermal management technology and solutions, has appointed Neil D. Brinker as the company's new president and CEO, according to a company press release on 30 November 2020. The appointment is effective 1 December 2020. In August 2020, Thomas A. Burke stepped down as president and CEO and as a member of Modine's board of directors. The company named Michael B. Lucareli as interim president and CEO on 4 August 2020. Significance: Most ...

Valeo’s existing CEO Jacques Aschenbroich will retire from the post on 31 December 2021, according to a company press release on 27 October. Christophe Périllat, who is currently acting as chief operating officer of Valeo, will succeed Aschenbroich as CEO starting in January 2022. Also, Jacques Aschenbroich will continue to act as Chairman of the Board of Directors until the end of his current term of office as Director, i.e., until May 2023. Additionally, Valeo appointed Christophe Périllat...

Thomas A. Burke has stepped down as president and CEO and as a member of Modine's Board of Directors, effective immediately, the company said in a press release on 4 August. Modine Manufacturing is a diversified global leader in thermal management technology and solutions. The company has launched a search for a new president and CEO. For the time being, the company’s board has named Michael B. (Mick) Lucareli, who is currently serving as VP, Finance and CFO, as interim president and CEO, e...

India auto components supplier Lumax Auto Technologies has appointed Vikas Marwah as its new CEO, effective 2 May, according to a company filing with the Bombay Stock Exchange on 2 May. Significance: Marwah joined Lumax as executive VP and chief strategy officer in May 2018, wherein he was responsible for business expansion, addition of new product lines, new joint ventures, and other strategic initiatives for the group. Prior to joining Lumax, Marwah was chief sales and marketing officer of ...

Gentherm has announced the appointment of Matt Fisch as the senior vice president (SVP) and chief technology officer (CTO), a company press release on 10 March read. He will join the company on 6 April 2020. Fisch will ideate Gentherm’s technology strategy, product engineering, research and development (R&D) , and partnership ecosystem in climate and comfort, battery thermal management, electronics, and patient thermal products and solutions. Fisch was previously the executive v...

Gentherm’s chairman Francois J. Castaing has informed the company’s board of directors of his intention to retire at the end of his current term, according to a company press release on 21 January 2020. Castaing further informed that he will not be standing for re-election at the company’s annual meeting of shareholders, scheduled to be held in May 2020. The company’s board has elected Ronald Hundzinski as new chairman. Castaing has served as a director of Gentherm since 2001 and chai...

Marelli has appointed Dr. Jan Becker as an expert to its external advisory board, the company said in a press release on 20 December. Becker has more than two decades of experience in vehicle automation. He founded Apex.AI in 2017, which offers safe and certified software for autonomous mobility, and currently serves as its CEO. Earlier Becker worked at Robert Bosch for 13 years, between 2002 and 2015, and held several key positions. Significance: Marelli established an external advisory boar...

Dana’s board of directors has elected the company's president and CEO, James K. Kamsickas, to the additional post of chairman of the board, according to a company press release on 16 December. Kamsickas has more than 30 years of experience in the mobility business, spanning the light-vehicle, commercial-vehicle, and off-highway segments. Prior to joining Dana in 2015, Kamsickas was president and CEO of International Automotive Components (IAC) for eight years. In addition, he served as head...

The Supervisory Board of MANN+HUMMEL Verwaltungs GmbH has appointed Kurk Wilks as the company’s new president and CEO, according to a company press release on 11 December 2019. The appointment is effective 1 January 2020. Kurk Wilks succeeds Werner Lieberherr, who resigned in October. Kurk Wilks will manage the group, together with executive vice president and chief finance officer (CFO) Emese Weissenbacher and chief operating officer (COO) Nic Zerbst. Wilks has been working with the compan...

Sogefi has appointed Mauro Fenzi as the new CEO of the company, according to a company press release on 9 December 2019. This comes after the resignation of the current CEO Laurent Hebenstreit. Fenzi many years' international experience in the automotive sector, particularly in the field of industrial automation and robotics. Most recently, he was CEO of Comau (FCA Group), where he he had been since 2001, having held various positions of responsibility.

Volkswagen (VW) has appointed Dirk Große-Loheide as its new head of procurement of the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand, effective 1 October, the automaker announced on 1 October. Große-Loheide succeeds Dr. Stefan Sommer, who was previously in charge of this brand function, in addition to his responsibilities as group board member for Components and Procurement. Sommer will now concentrate fully on his extensive tasks as a member of the group board. Große-Loheide has been working wi...

Brose has appointed Raymond Mutz as executive vice president of its Drives business division, effective 1 September 2019, according to a company press release on 6 September. He succeeds Patrick Popp, who is leaving the company effective 30 September 2019. Mutz has been working with the Brose Group since 2006. He has served in a number of leadership roles. Alongside his management duties in the Brose Group, he was also responsible for building the product unit for drives and actuator technolo...

Rheinmetall Automotive’s chairman of the Executive Board and Automotive CEO Horst Binning will retire from the group by the end of 2019, the company announced in a press release on 24 July.  Following the implementation of a succession plan with a smooth transition of leadership duties, he will relinquish his responsibilities within the group. Binnig joined the Automotive sector of the Rheinmetall Group in 1999 in charge of Corporate Development and then headed the Automotive subs...

Gentherm has appointed Thomas Stocker as senior vice president and general manager of its Automotive Climate and Comfort business, the company announced in a press release on 8 July. The appointment will be effective from 1 September 2019. Stocker will lead the Company’s core automotive global business and will be responsible for growing the Climate and Comfort portfolio with Gentherm’s OEM customers worldwide, developing and launching new products, and driving profitability. Stocker will re...

Erwin Doll has stepped down as vice chairman of the executive board of the Röchling Group and head of the Automotive division with immediate effect owing to strategic differences regarding the future direction of the division, according to a company press release on 20 May. Hanns-Peter Knaebel will take over Doll's responsibilities. Doll joined the Röchling Group in 2006 and was appointed executive vice president of Sales and R&D at Röchling Automotive, later in addition also for ...

Autoneum has appointed Greg Sibley as new head of Business Group North America and member of its Group Executive Board, the Switzerland based company said in a press release on 30 April. Sibley will start as deputy head of Business Group North America from 15 May and will take over as its head after a transition period on 1 July. Sibley will assume the responsibility from Fautso Bigi, head of Business Group South America, Middle East and Africa (SAMEA). Bigi has been interim head of Business ...

The Supervisory Board of Grammer has appointed Thorsten Seehars as the new CEO of the company, effective 1 August 2019 for a term of three years, according to a press release on 25 April. Seehars succeeds Hartmut Müller, who resigned from the post on 31 December 2018. Seehars is currently a member of the management board of Knorr-Bremse Systeme für Nutzfahrzeuge GmbH. The company said that Manfred Pretscher, member of the executive board, will continue to hold the position of the CEO on an int...

BorgWarner has appointed Kevin A. Nowlan as the executive vice president and the new chief financial officer (CFO), the company announced in a press release on 19 March. The appointment will be effective from 1 April 2019. Most recently, Nowlan served as senior vice president and CFO at Meritor, a position he held since 2013, and also as president of the Trailer and Components businesses since 2018. Prior to that, Nowlan held various executive and financial leadership roles with Merito...

Calsonic Kansei has appointed Dr Detlef Juerss as chief technology & engineering officer (CTEO), the company announced in a press release on 15 March. Dr. Juerss will also serve as the chief commercial officer (Non-Japan) and global sales co-leader. Dr. Juerss will report directly to Beda Bolzenius, CEO, Calsonic Kansei. The appointment will be effective from 1 April 2019. Dr Juerss succeeds Hideto Murakami, who will  become a Fellow and support the company's various key initiatives. ...

Denso has announced several changes in its senior management team in North America, effective 1 April 2019, according to a company’s press release on 7 March. The Japanese supplier has appointed Shinichi Nakamizo as executive officer of Denso’s North American Manufacturing. Steve Milam will serve as executive officer of Corporate Function Division, Powertrain Systems Business and Electrification Systems Business of North America.  In addition, Denso has appointed leaders of its vario...

Denso has announced changes in its executive management structure and personnel, the company said in a press release on 18 February. The Japanese supplier has reduced the number of members on its board of directors and delegated authority to execute with a goal to further improve operating efficiency. With effect from 1 April, Denso has trimmed its board size almost by half to 28 members. The company’s streamlined board will consist of chairman, president and CEO, executive vice president, ...

Denso has realigned its organizational structure in North America to accelerate and strengthen business execution, research and development (R&D) and strategic collaboration, the company said in a press release on 24 January. The Japanese supplier has announced certain organizational changes at its regional headquarters Denso International America in Southfield, Michigan (United States). Denso has created ‘Connected Service Department’ to intensify its focus on automated and connected...

Denso has announced certain organizational changes for enhancing competitiveness, according to a press release by the Japanese supplier on 27 December. The company will reorganize its Mobility Systems Function Unit and establish Mobility System Planning Division and Mobility System R&D Division. The new Mobility System Division will oversee business strategy whereas the Mobility System R&D Division will be responsible for technology development. Denso expects the reorganization of Mobili...

Hanon Systems has appointed Jeong Won Son as its new president and CEO, the company announced in a press release on 17 December. Son will succeed In-Young Lee, who has been the representative executive officer and CEO of Hanon since July 2015. Lee will retire from his role at the end of 2018 and continue to act as an executive advisor to the company. Hanon has also appointed Nurdal Kücükkaya as president and Min Suk Sung as executive vice president. All three appointments will be effective ...

Gentherm has appointed Matteo Anversa as the new executive vice president, chief financial officer (CFO) and treasurer, the company announced in a press release on 12 December. Anversa will lead all of Gentherm’s financial and IT operations globally, and he will report to Phil Eyler, Gentherm’s president and CEO. Anversa will succeed Barry Steele, who has resigned from the posts of CFO, treasurer and vice-president of Finance. Most recently, Anversa served as the executive vice president ...

Kongsberg Automotive has appointed Firas Abi-Nassif as the company’s new chairman, according to a company press release on 11 December. The company’s board of directors elected Abi-Nassif as its chairman with a strong majority of 94%. Abi-Nassif is a co-founder of Teleios Capital Partners (Teleios), which began investing in Kongsberg in 2015 and has a current shareholding of almost 28%. Kongsberg Automotive is one of the leading manufacturers of seat comfort products, gearshift systems, c...

Calsonic Kansei has appointed Christoph Hobo as its chief financial officer (CFO), effective 1 January, the company said in a press release on 11 December. Hobo will replace the company’s current executive vice-president and CFO Seiichi Kakizawa, who has been appointed chief human resources officer. Hobo will be based in Japan and will report directly to the company’s CEO Beda Bolzenius. “As we continue our transformation journey to become a global top tier cost- and technology-leader i...

Steffen Rowold has resigned as chief financial officer (CFO) of Röchling Group, according to a press release on 30 November. Hanns-Peter Knaebel, who is currently serving as CEO of the Röchling Group, will become interim CFO. “We are confident that we will introduce his successor at the end of the first quarter of 2019,” said Johannes Freiherr von Salmuth, chairman of Röchling. Rowold has been CFO of Röchling since June 2016. Rowold also served as a member of management board of Röch...

MANN+HUMMEL has appointed Nic Zerbst as president and chief operations officer (COO), and member of the MANN+HUMMEL Group management, the company announced in a press release on 23 November. The appointment will be effective from 1 February 2019. Zerbst will succeed Hansjörg Herrmann, who is resigning from the company on 30 November. Herrmann was responsible for worldwide production at 40 MANN+HUMMEL plants. Most recently, Zerbst served as the vice president of Global Operations at Eberspäc...

Gentherm has appointed Mark A. Potesta as senior vice-president and chief technology officer (CTO), effective today, the US-based thermal management technologies supplier announced last week. As CTO, Potesta will lead technology strategy of Gentherm to deliver advanced thermal solutions for both automotive and medical applications. He will also offer functional leadership for Gentherm’s electronics and battery thermal management (BMT) teams. Potesta will report to Phil Eyler, president and CEO...

BorgWarner has appointed Thomas J. McGill as the interim chief financial officer (CFO), the company announced in a press release on 19 October. The appointment will be effective from 1 January 2019. McGill succeeds Ronald T. Hundzinski who is retiring from BorgWarner at the end of 2018. BorgWarner said it is looking at internal and external candidates to permanently fill the CFO position. McGill is currently serving as the vice president and treasurer at BorgWarner. McGill has been working wi...

Modine has appointed Scott Bowser as vice president and chief operating officer (COO), the company announced in a press release on 26 September. The appointment will be effective from 1 January 2019.  As vice president and COO, Bowser will be responsible for leading Modine's Global Operations and Research & Development functions. Bowser will report directly to Thomas Burke, president, CEO and a member of Modine’s board of directors. Bowser is succeeding Tom Marry, who is retiring. ...

Calsonic Kansei has appointed Andy Koehler as its chief procurement officer, effective 1 September, the Japan-based automotive supplier said in a press release yesterday. Koehler will be based in Japan and will report directly to the company's CEO, Beda Bolzenius. As chief procurement officer, Koehler will be responsible for executing the company's global procurement strategy and work closely with Tsukasa Fujii, chief competition officer of the Japanese supplier. Koehler joined...

Denso has announced certain changes in responsibilities of its senior executive team, effective today (1 August), the Japanese supplier said in a press release on Tuesday (31 July). The company has appointed Sadahiro Usui new head of its China business. Usui, a senior executive director, most recently served as CEO of Denso’s European subsidiary, Denso International Europe B.V. The company has appointed Hisaaki Sato, executive director, to take over as new CEO of Denso International Europe....

Webasto has appointed Franz-Josef Kortüm as chairman of the company’s supervisory board, effective 26 July, according to a press release. He succeeds Werner Baier, who served as chairman since 1995. Kortüm joined Webasto in 1994 as a member of the board. Later, he was appointed as chairman of the management board in 1999. Afterwards, he became a member of the supervisory board of Webasto at the beginning of 2013. He served as deputy chairman of the supervisory board until mid-2018. The...

BorgWarner has promoted Frederic Lissalde as its new president and chief executive officer (CEO), the company announced in a press release on 7 June. The appointment will be effective from 1 August 2018. Lissalde succeeds James R Verrier who will step down as president and CEO by the end of next month but will continue to serve in a non-executive advisory role to BorgWarner’s board and the new CEO to support a successful transition until he retires from the company 28 February, 2019. Lissal...

India-based auto parts supplier Lumax Industries has appointed DK Jain as chairman emeritus and chief mentor to the board, effective 1 April 2018, according to a company press release yesterday (4 April). DK Jain previously served as chairman of the board and has over 50 years’ experience in operations and administrative roles. He will continue to guide and support the company to ensure continuous growth and expansion in the future. Additionally, the company has appointed Deepak Jain, who i...

ElringKlinger has appointed Reiner Drews as the new chief operating officer (COO), the company announced in a press release on 23 March. The appointment will be effective from 1 April 2018. Drews succeeds Theo Becker, who will now head a newly formed dedicated management board function for electromobility. On 23 March, the supervisory board of ElringKlinger AG passed the resolution for the introduction of a fourth area of management board responsibility. Drews has been working with ElringK...

WABCO has appointed Dr. Christian Brenneke as the new chief technology officer (CTO), the company announced in a press release on 20 March. Dr. Brenneke succeeds Dr. Christian Wiehen, who retired in 2017. Dr. Brenneke has also been appointed an executive officer of the company. Dr. Brenneke has been serving as vice president of Engineering at WABCO since October 2015. Dr. Brenneke will now combine his current responsibilities as vice president, Engineering, with those of the CTO and lead WABC...

Calsonic Kansei has appointed Beda Bolzenius as its new CEO, the company announced in a press release on 5 March. The appointment will be effective from 1 April 2018. Bolzenius succeeds current CEO, Hiroshi Moriya, who will now serve as chairman of Calsonic Kansei. Both Bolzenius and Moriya will be based out of Tokyo, Japan. “Calsonic Kansei is one of the most innovative and dependable auto parts makers to some of the world’s largest and best-known brands. I am excited to work with the gl...

Brose has appointed Patrick Popp as head of its Electrical Drives business division, effective 1 February, according to a company press release. Popp replaced Reinhard Kretschmer, who will leave the company at the end of this year upon his retirement. In his new role, Popp is responsible for global business of drives while also leading the corporate group’s electronics activities. The business division posted revenues of around EUR1 billion last year. Popp has more than two decades of ...

News The key news and events shaping the automotive supply base in the last month E-Mobility How are tranmission manufacturers and the wider automotive industry preparing and positioning for impending rise in hybrid demand? Thermal Modest projected adoption by global OEMs is expected to limit the use of CO2 (R744) refrigerants toniche variants or options in the near term. Who-Supplies-Whom Details of suppliers to the new Buick Enclave. Includes a look at the C1XX platform an...

Modine Manufacturing has appointed Matt McBurney vice-president of Strategic Planning and Business Development, the US-based thermal management specialist said in a press release on 2 February. As vice-president of Strategic Planning and Business Development, a newly created position, McBurney will direct Modine’s strategic planning process and support the company’s objectives, strategies and plans. He will also coordinate data collection and analysis, and lead key cross-enterprise initiativ...

Modine Manufacturing has appointed Joel Casterton as vice president, Vehicular Thermal Solutions (VTS), the US-based company said in a press release on 31 January. Casterton will replace the current head of VTS segment, Holger Schweb, who decided to resign from the company in December 2017. Schwab will continue in the position until the end of this fiscal year (31 March 2018), when Casterton will take over. Casterton has been associated with Modine since 2005. In past 12 years, he has he...

Mahle has appointed Jörg Stratmann as new chairman and CEO, effective 1 February, the company announced in a press release yesterday (31 January). Stratmann replaces Wolf-Henning Scheider, who has resigned from the post to become CEO of ZF Friedrichshafen. “This quick transition was made much easier because MAHLE had already earmarked Dr. Jörg Stratmann as a possible successor,” the company said in a statement. Stratmann joined Mahle in 2008. Until now, he had been responsible for manag...

Faurecia has appointed François Tardif as executive vice-president of Faurecia China, the company announced in a press release on 3 January. Tardif replaces Jean-Michel Vallin who is retiring. The appointment is effective from 1 January 2018. Tardif joined Faurecia in 2012 and initially served as vice president of the seating mechanisms division, and later served as vice president for the Seating activity in Europe. Previously, Tardif has also worked with Valeo, Autoliv and Plastic Omnium at...

Toyoda Gosei has announced certain organizational and personnel changes, effective 1 January 2018, according to a company press release yesterday. The Japanese company has established a new ‘Technical Planning Division’ to accelerate product and technical planning for creation of new products; and a new ‘Electronics Engineering Division’ to strengthen electronics engineering. The company has also decided to change the name from ‘Design Planning Division’ to ‘Design Development D...

Holger Schwab, vice president of the Vehicular Thermal Solutions (VTS) business segment has resigned from the company, Modine Manufacturing announced in a press release on 21 December. Schwab will continue in the position until the end of this fiscal year – 31 March 2018. Schwab is moving to another company that does not compete directly with Modine. The company said that it would communicate more definitive plans regarding the succession and transition plan in the new year. "I thank Holger...

BorgWarner has appointed Frédéric Lissalde as the new chief operating officer (COO) and executive vice president, the company announced in a press release on 15 December. The appointment will be effective from 1 January 2018. Lissalde will report to James Verrier, president and CEO of Magna. Most recently, Lissalde served as the president and general manager of BorgWarner’s Turbo Systems business. He has also held various other managerial positions such as vice president and general manag...

Brose has appointed Kurt Sauernheimer as CEO, effective 1 January 2018, according to a company press release. Sauernheimer will replace Jürgen Otto, who has been CEO for the past twelve years.  Sauernheimer joined Brose in 1987 as a sales engineer and project manager. He held various leadership positions at the company ranging from sales manager to being in charge of the group’s purchasing activities and head of door systems business division. He will continue to head the door systems di...

Gentherm has appointed Phillip Eyler as its new president and CEO, the company announced in a press release on 3 October. The appointment will be effective from 4 December 2017. Eyler will also join Gentherm’s board of directors. Eyler is replacing Daniel R. Coker who has announced retirement. Eyler joins Gentherm from Harman where he was serving as the president of the USD3 billion Connected Car division since 2015. He also held various other leadership position at Harman. Eyler has also w...

UGN Inc., a producer of acoustic, interior trim and thermal management products, has appointed Emmanuel Reymond as vice-president of product development, according to a company press release.  Prior to his new role, Reymond served as product engineering manager for UGN. In his new role, and in addition to his current responsibilities, Reymond will be responsible for strategic planning across product development. Reymond joined UGN in 2010 and has more than 20 years of experience in produ...

Eberspeacher has announced changes in its senior management. According to a company's press release, the Germany-based supplier has appointed Dr. Jörg Schernikau as chief operating officer (COO) of both the Climate Control Systems and the Automotive Controls Divisions. Schernikau succeeds Dr. Dirk Walliser who has moved to group-wide responsibility for the newly created Business Innovation function at Eberspeacher. Schernikau recently joined the company in June 2017. Previously, he worked wi...

Gentherm’s President and CEO Daniel R. Coker will retire from the company and begin a planned leadership transition over the next several months, the thermal management technology supplier announced in a press release on 28 June. Coker will continue to serve in his current position until his successor is appointed. According to the release, the company is presently engaged in a widespread search process to replace Coker. For the same, the company is evaluating both internal and external candid...

American Axle & Manufacturing (AAM) has appointed Tolga Oal as senior vice-president of AAM Corporate. In addition to new role, however, Oal will continue his current position as president of AAM North America and will remain in charge of managing AAM’s driveline business in North America. Bridgestone Americas, Inc., a subsidiary of Bridgestone Corporation, has appointed Brian Goldstine as the new president of Firestone Fibers and Textiles (FSFT), effective 15 May. Goldstine will replac...

Air International Thermal has appointed Rejie Samuel as its new CEO. Samuel succeeds Todd Sheppelman, who has resigned from the company. Samuel, who is currently serving as the chief operating officer of the company, has over 25 years of leadership and industry experience. Arconic has announced that Klaus Kleinfeld has agreed to step down as CEO and chairman after the company’s board of directors discovered that he sent a letter to its largest shareholder without consultation with or author...

NEWS The key news and events shaping the automotive supply base in the last month.    SOFTWARE On March 13, 2017 Intel announced its acquisition of Mobileye, perhaps the most significant M&A event to date in the autonomous driving sector with significant impact over the next decade and beyond. POWERTRAIN Development of high fuel injection pressure helped in bringing improvement in diesel engine characteristics by reducing emissions and improving efficiency. CHASSI...

France-based auto component maker Faurecia has appointed Michel de Rosen as new chairman of its board, the company announced in a press release on 11 April. The appointment will be effective from 30 May 2017. Rosen succeeds Yann Delabrière, who will step down as chairman and member of the board. Delabrière will serve as honorary chairman of Faurecia. Rosen has been with Faurecia since 1996 when he joined as a director, He also served as the chairman and CEO of Faurecia from February 2007 to...

Akebono Brake Industry has announced certain personnel changes, effective 1 April 2017, according to a company press release. The company has appointed Takeshi Saito as assistant to president and CEO. Saito will also continue his current role of senior managing executive officer and in-charge of Friction Material business unit. Akebono has also appointed Kiyoshi Tanaka as head of Automotive Sales Division, and Takashi Kudo as assistant to president and CEO, and in-charge of Electric Brake Applic...

Automotive thermal management company Air International Thermal has appointed Rejie Samuel as its new CEO, the company announced in a press release on 4 April. Samuel succeeds Todd Sheppelman, who has resigned from the company. Samuel, who is currently serving as the chief operating officer of the company, has over 25 years of leadership and industry experience. “The Board of Directors of Air International is pleased to have Rejie assume leadership of this world-class organization as its CE...

TI Automotive has appointed Andy Ridgway as the new vice president for thermal products, the company announced in a press release on 3 April. Ridgway will oversee all activities related to TI Automotive’s Global Thermal Products group, which includes heating and cooling technology for the vehicle engine, powertrain, battery and passenger cabin systems. Ridgeway joins TI Automotive from IAV, where he was the CEO for Americas business. Previously, he has worked at management level positions a...

Lorenz Zwingmann, executive board member responsible for finance, IT, controlling and processes at Knorr-Bremse AG, will resign from the company on completion of his contract on 31 December 2017, according to a company press release on 24 March. Zwingmann plans to complete his contractual obligations up until the last working day. The company plans to make a decision on his successor “as rapidly as possible”. Zwingmann has been with the board since 2008 and had been executive spokesman fr...

Delphi Automotive has appointed David Paja as senior vice-president and president of Electronics and Safety (E&S) division. Paja replaces Jugal Vijayvargiya, who has resigned from the post to pursue other career opportunities. Most recently, Paja served as president of Honeywell Security & Fire. Paja also served in Honeywell’s Transportation Systems segment as vice-president and general manager for China and India. Denso has announced new management structure and personnel changes. ...

Denso has announced new management structure and personnel changes, the Japanese supplier said in a press release yesterday (20 February). Effective 1 April 2017, Denso will reduce its number of members on the board of directors, which will now include representatives, outside directors, and executives who are in charge of corporate planning. In addition, the company will introduce a new executive position ‘Executive fellow’. The company has appointed Hiroyuki Wakabayashi as executive vice-p...

American Axle & Manufacturing, Inc. (AAM) has appointed Donald E. Wright as vice president and chief information officer (CIO). Wright will continue to lead the development and execution of AAM’s information technology strategy. Wright joined AAM in 2012 as executive director and CIO.  Prior to joining AAM, Wright served as CIO at Atlas Oil, a national distributor of petroleum products and related services. He has 25 years of experience in information technology and held a variety of ...

Sanden has appointed Nakamura Shigeharu as corporate officer, in charge of automotive business, the Japanese supplier said in a press release yesterday (22 December). The appointment is effective 22 December 2016.

BorgWarner has appointed Michael S. Hanley to the board of directors and also the Audit team Committee of the board of directors, the company announced in a press release on 9 November. Hanley is also a director of publicly held Shiloh Industries. In his previous assignment, Hanley served as the partner of Ernst & Young from where he retired in 2014. He was global automotive leader from 2003 to 2014 and was senior advisory partner for many automotive clients. Bosch has appointed Soumitra ...

Thermal management technology developer Gentherm’s chairman of the board, Oscar B. Marx III, has announced his plans to retire from the company at the end of his term, according to a press release on 17 November. Marx will retire in May 2017, when the annual meeting of shareholders is held. Francois Castaing has been unanimously chosen by the board of directors to replace Marx as the new chairman of the board, effective as of the 2017 annual meeting of shareholders, subject to Mr. Castaing'...

US-headquartered BorgWarner has appointed Michael S. Hanley to the board of directors and also the Audit team Committee of the board of directors, the company announced in a press release on 9 November. Hanley is also a director of publicly held Shiloh Industries. In his previous assignment, Hanley served as the partner of Ernst & Young from where he retired in 2014. He was global automotive leader from 2003 to 2014 and was senior advisory partner for many automotive clients. “Mr. Ha...