Robert Bosch
North America
Vice President of Electrification
Erich
Banhegyi
Big Break: Being project leader of the team that designed Bosch’s first hybrid drive — an e-motor and clutch — which debuted in 2010.
Age: 43
Valeo
Regional Operations Quality Director
Fernanda
Barrales
Big Break: Moved from sales into a more technically challenging management career track in project management and manufacturing.
Age: 41
Honda Development
and Manufacturing
of America
Chief Engineer, Senior Manager
Annie
Boh
Big Break: Gaining buy-in from upper management to lead the business development of Honda’s wind tunnel facility in the U.S.
Age: 42
Stellantis
Vice President of Jeep Product Management
Tavon
Brooks
Big Break: Becoming Jeep’s director of product management in 2021.
Age: 39
Ricardo Inc.
Senior Vice President Electrification Strategy and Technology
Yansong
Chen
Big Break: Both of Chen’s parents were executives at China’s FAW Group, one of the country’s largest automakers. Their careers inspired her to become an engineer.
Age: 45
Forvia
Vice President of Interiors Unit in North America
Marinela
Cirstea
Big Break: As a new program manager, oversaw development of the Renault Clio interior.
Age: 42
Hyundai Motor America
Director, Marketing Communications
Kate
Fabian
Big Break: Coming to the U.S. to launch Genesis after being selected in a green card lottery, which enabled a timely transition.Â
Age: 45
Nissan Motor Co.
Director, Electric Vehicles Marketing and Sales Strategy
Aditya
Jairaj
Big Break: Being tapped for a stint at Nissan’s global headquarters, helping him develop relationships with key executives and better understand how the organization operates globally.
Age: 40
Gatik
Co-Founder and Chief Engineer
Apeksha
Kumavat
Big Break: Starting a self-driving truck company at a time competitors focused on robotaxis.
Age: 31
Toyota
Financial Services
Chief Data and Analytics Officer
Nate
Litton
Big Break: Showing Toyota Financial Services how data, probabilities and analytics could dramatically improve its performance.
Age: 40
General Motors
Assistant Chief Engineer of Super Cruise
Jeff
Miller
Big Break: Accelerating the rollout of the Super Cruise hands-free driving-assist technology and enhancing its features.
Age: 38
General Motors
Chief Engineer of Electric Drive Systems
Hanaan
Miller
Big Break: Led a team that designed and built an in-house traction inverter.
Age: 45
Mazda North
American Operations
Manager of Vehicle Safety, Compliance, Planning & Development
Jennifer
Morrison
Big Break: Leaving a nearly 20-year career with the federal government for a role with Mazda, which allowed her to effect greater changes in vehicle safety.
Age: 45
Axalta Coating Systems
Vice President for Mobility Americas
Dan
Naugle
Big Break: Joining Axalta in 2013, months after the former DuPont Performance Coatings business became an independent company.
Age: 45
Panasonic Automotive
CFO
Kevin
Ostertag
Big Break: As a young plant controller for a factory project in 2008, Ostertag was part of a team that earned a Johnson Controls Chairman’s Award for launching the high-profile assignment.
Age: 41
Lear Corp.
Platform Director for E-Systems
Briana
Porter
Big Break: Being chosen as a program manager for wire harnesses, one of the company’s top moneymaking products.
Age: 44
Adient North America
Director of Business Unit Purchasing
Julie
Rudy
Big Break: Being promoted to a director level position at Faurecia, allowing her to break into a male-dominated space and work on big-picture managerial goals.
Age: 42
Fyusion
CEO and Co-Founder
Radu
Rusu
Big Break: Integrating Fyusion with Cox Automotive and scaling its vehicle imaging technologies within a larger company.
Age: 41
Waymo
Head of Supply Chain Planning and Materials Management
Andressa
Teixeira
Big Break: Brought consumer electronics expertise on materials planning to AV business.
Age: 39
Ford Motor Co.
F-150 Lightning Marketing Manager
Jasen
Turnbull
Big Break: Leading the go-to-market strategy for the launch of the Ford F-150 Lightning.
Age: 33
Toyota Motor
North America
General Manager of Trucks
Marcus
Umlauff
Big Break: Coming to the U.S. from Australia on a temporary assignment to work on pickups.
Age: 44