Lear Corp., a global automotive seating and e-systems technology provider in Southfield, made two changes to its leadership team as it drives toward an Innovative, Digital, Engineered, and Automated (IDEA) future.
To lead the evolution, Lear has appointed Carl Esposito senior vice president of IDEA by Lear. Previously, Esposito had been a Lear senior vice president and president of its e-systems group since 2019.
“Carl’s engineering background and broad experience in product development and operations make him the ideal candidate to lead IDEA by Lear,” says Ray Scott, president and CEO of Lear. “Under Carl’s leadership, we will think differently, drive accountability, and move quickly in the areas of product innovation, automation and operational excellence.”
Before joining Lear, Esposito served as president of the Electronic Solutions Strategic Business Unit for Honeywell Aerospace, where he oversaw strategy, product development, and sales for the $5 billion business.
“I am honored to lead IDEA by Lear during this time of significant change in the industry,” Esposito says. “Lear has a long history of innovation and operational excellence. By leveraging technology and automation to be more innovative and efficient, we will accelerate growth, increase quality and safety, and create more opportunity for value-added work.”
Lear announced in April that IDEA by Lear represents the next phase of the company’s strategy to drive growth and improve profitability by utilizing technology and automation to develop innovative products and extend its leadership in operational excellence.
Nick Roelli, vice president of seating, North America, will replace Esposito as senior vice president and president of e-systems.
Roelli has held various roles of increasing responsibility since joining Lear in 1994, including serving as vice president of North America seating and vice president of global seat structures. He has led a variety of teams to achieve industry-leading results in profitability, quality, delivery, and launch performance, according to Lear.
“Nick’s experience and dedication have helped make our seating business into an industry leader and make him uniquely positioned to take on this new role,” says Scott. “I am confident that under Nick’s leadership e-systems will continue to execute the strategy that has delivered seven consecutive quarters of year-over-year margin improvement.”
Roelli says, “I look forward to leading the e-systems team and building upon the strong foundation that exists today. I am confident that we have the right people and strategies in place to ensure Lear’s continued success as we work to provide the most innovative products and solutions to our customers,”
In other Lear news, the company was named to Fortune magazine’s World’s Most Admired Companies list for the eighth consecutive year.
In the survey’s nine categories, used by respondents to determine the overall company rankings in the Motor Vehicle Parts Makers industry group, Lear placed in the top five in every category. It also improved its standing in the Social Responsibility and Financial Soundness categories compared with last year’s study.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the Lear team for sustaining our recognition as one of Fortune’s World’s Most Admired Companies for eight consecutive years. It is a testament to our talented and dedicated employees worldwide,” says Scott. “Their ingenuity and dedication differentiate Lear as a leader in the automotive industry. We remain committed to delivering the highest level of performance to our customers, shareholders and the communities where we live and work.”
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