Seeking to bolster its electrification, advanced driver-assistance systems and electronics businesses, Marelli is making four appointments to its leadership team, all effective April 1.
The Japanese-Italian powertrain and electronics supplier said Friday that Joachim Fetzer will be appointed to the new position of chief technology and innovation officer.
Fetzer most recently was executive vice president, electric powertrain CEO at Marelli.
The moves come as part of the company's Ambition 2024 business strategy, which is largely focused on connected systems, autonomous driving and the on-board experience. The company's strategic plan is also centered on bolstering its external perception technologies, electrification and e-powertrain systems, and lean propulsion and dynamics.
Hannes Prenn will succeed Fetzer as CEO of the electric powertrain business. Prenn joins Marelli from drive systems and driveline supplier GKN Automotive, at which he was most recently COO and president of the electric powertrain business.
Heinrich Gerhard Schuering has been appointed executive vice president, advanced driver-assistance systems. Schuering has been CEO of the company's electronics business for five years.
Mike Peters will succeed Schuering as CEO of electronics. Peters joins the company from Harman International, a unit of semiconductor manufacturer Samsung Electronics. At Harman, Peters was president of the automotive division.
"The automotive industry is changing at a very fast pace," Marelli CEO Beda Bolzenius said in a statement. "There is no time to stand still. Innovation, quality, consistency and efficiency are just some of the core attributes that remain critical to our future. These appointments confirm our commitment in building a more innovative company that is aligned to customer needs."
Bolzenius told Automotive News Europe this year that the company plans to invest heavily in electric powertrains and software.
Marelli, of Japan, ranks No. 14 on the Automotive News list of the top 100 global suppliers, with worldwide parts sales to automakers of $14.94 billion in its 2019 fiscal year.(article source:automotive news)