Leadership

Nexteer Automotive is driven by a global leadership team dedicated to building on the company’s strong heritage of engineering and manufacturing performance. Nexteer Automotive provides advanced steering and driveline solutions and is led by President & CEO Robert J. “Bob” Remenar and his committed management team.

Robert J. Remenar

President & CEO

Robert J. “Bob” Remenar is the president and CEO of Nexteer Automotive and a member of the company’s Board of Directors. To continue the company’s heritage of success he is charged with guiding a dedicated and talented executive staff, supported by experienced management teams and a committed global workforce.

Remenar assumed his position effective October 2009, upon Day One of Nexteer Automotive. He had served as president of the former Delphi Steering Division since 2002. During that time, Remenar was also a Delphi Corp. vice president and member of its strategy board, executive champion of its program management task team, and executive customer champion for the company’s General Motors Corp. business.

Remenar began his automotive career in 1985 with Saturn Corporation. Later with GM, Remenar held various executive roles in corporate financial analysis, health care cost analysis, employment cost analysis and compensation, policy development, and employee relations. At Delphi, he held several senior-level executive positions in HR, finance and business line operations prior to being named president of the global Steering business.

Remenar earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Central Michigan University and a master’s degree in business administration from Walsh College. He is a member of the President’s Advisory Council of Walsh College, the Dean’s Business Advisory Council of Central Michigan University and was formerly a member of the board of directors for Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.

Laurent Bresson

Vice President Global Sales and Marketing and Chief Operating Officer of the International Division

Laurent Bresson is vice president global sales and marketing and chief operating officer of the international division, and a member of the Nexteer Strategy Council. Prior to his current position, Bresson was vice president, global sales and marketing, European region, will be responsible for all activities in Australia, India, Korea, Mexico, Brazil and Europe. Bresson also will continue to be responsible for overseeing global sales. He was first given global responsibility in 2009 and has previously held various positions in engineering, project management and sales for several Delphi divisions as well as various sales positions at Nexteer.

Vince De Zorzi

Senior Vice President Global Manufacturing Operations, Driveline Business Unit, Chief Quality Officer

Vince De Zorzi is senior vice president global manufacturing operations, driveline business unit and chief quality officer for Nexteer Automotive and a member of the Nexteer Strategy Council. Prior to his current position, De Zorzi was vice president of operations for Delphi Steering. He began his career with General Motors of Canada as an hourly rated employee at the Scarborough Van Assembly Plant in 1978.

Mike Gannon

Senior Vice President, Chief Strategic and Human Resources Officer

Mike Gannon is senior vice president, chief strategic and HR officer for Nexteer Automotive and a member of the Nexteer Strategy Council. Prior to his current position, he was vice president of human resources for Delphi Steering. Gannon began his career at General Motors in 1973 as a co-op with Oldsmobile and was vice president of personnel for General Motors Europe before joining Delphi.

Mike Richardson

Senior Vice President Global Steering Business Unit, Chief Technology Officer and Chief Operating Officer of the China Division

Mike Richardson is senior vice president of global steering business unit, chief technology officer and chief operating officer of the China Division for Nexteer Automotive and a member of the Nexteer Strategy Council. Prior to his current position, Richardson was vice president of Asia and global engineering for Delphi Steering. He began his automotive career with General Motors in 1974 as a co-op at the former Saginaw Steering Gear Division.

Sergio Rodriguez

Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the Saginaw Division

Sergio Rodriguez is senior vice president and chief operating officer of the Saginaw division and a member of the Nexteer Strategy Council. Prior to his current position, Rodriguez was vice president of Mexico and South America for Delphi Steering. He began his career in 1991 as a quality engineering student at the Ramos Arizpe-Mexico Assembly Plant.

Ileana Simplicean

Senior Vice President and General Counsel

Ileana Simplicean is senior vice president and general counsel for Nexteer Automotive and a member of the Nexteer Strategy Council. Simplicean is a multilingual corporate attorney with over 17 years of experience in the U.S. and the Europe, Middle East and Africa region (EMEA). She joins Nexteer from Delphi Corp. where she was most recently senior corporate counsel for Delphi EMEA. Since joining Delphi Corp. in 2003 she has held several executive level positions. She also serves on the board of directors of the American Chamber of Commerce in France. Prior to joining Delphi, Simplicean was a senior associate in the Paris office of the New York – based international law firm Paul Weiss. Before starting her legal career, Simplicean was an international marketing and sales executive at U.S.-based corporations. Simplicean has a joint bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan in international studies, business and foreign languages and the University of Nice (France) in business administration and advanced French studies. She also holds a joint juris doctor degree from the University of Pittsburgh in corporate and international business law and the University of Paris 1 (Sorbonne) in European Union law. She is admitted to the New York Bar and Paris Bar.

Bill Whalen

Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer

William H. (Bill) Whalen is senior vice president and chief financial officer for Nexteer Automotive and a member of the Nexteer Strategy Council. Prior to joining Nexteer on December 1, 2010, Whalen worked for Intermet Corporation as the Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Finance. In this role, he developed and implemented aggressive restructuring activities and operational improvements across the entire balance sheet and income statement.