- iPod and Nest inventor Tony
Fadell and MIT Mobility Professor Ian Hunter join the council
- Council offers high-level strategic planning
insights
- Accelerates company's innovation initiatives
TROY, MI, May 3, 2017 /CNW/ - With technology impacting
virtually every aspect of the vehicle, Magna has assembled a
Technology Advisory Council to contribute to future innovation
projects, provide direction to Magna's technology road maps and
identify additional business opportunities.
The Advisory Council is led by Swamy
Kotagiri, Magna Chief Technology Officer (CTO), and consists
of some of the most recognized and respected experts in the global
automotive and tech industries. The council brings a wider circle
of insight, knowledge and experience from various industries that
ultimately helps accelerate the execution of Magna's technology and
business objectives.
"The pace of innovation in the automotive industry is like
nothing we have ever seen before, creating even more challenges and
opportunities," said Kotagiri. "At Magna, we welcome the
challenge and aim to seize the opportunities by continuing to
leverage our culture of innovation, while embracing a new level of
innovation outreach. We are excited to have such a
distinguished group of individuals bringing their vision and
insights to our company."
Advisory Council members will provide high-level strategic
planning insights and experience in the areas of advanced driver
assistance systems, environmental and automotive safety, overall
industry trends, and next-generation technologies.
Chaired by Kotagiri, the Advisory Council is comprised of six
members who are recognized leaders in their respective fields,
several of whom have significant experience in product innovation
and the implementation of new technologies.
"Magna's deep vehicle systems knowledge and electronics
capabilities, combined with its global engineering and
manufacturing expertise, are remarkable," said Tony Fadell. "They are in a great position
to help drive change in the auto industry and I am excited to be
working with such an innovative company."
"Magna is a company committed to helping define the future of
mobility and I am delighted to be a part of such a distinguished
group of individuals who collectively can bring new opportunities
to Magna and the industry," said Dr. Ian
Hunter.
Technology Advisory Council Profiles:
Swamy Kotagiri is globally
responsible for managing Magna's innovation and new product
strategy and development. As CTO, Kotagiri helps Magna's
product groups bring innovative ideas to the market, which allows
the company to move the automotive industry forward.
Mei-Wei Cheng is a member
of the Board of Directors of Seagate Technology PLC and recently
served as non-executive Chairman of Pactera. He was the
former CEO and President for the Chinese subsidiaries of AT&T,
Siemens Ford Motor Company and General Electric. He holds a
bachelor's degree in industrial engineering/operations research
from Cornell University and an MBA from
Rutgers University.
Tony Fadell is the
inventor of the iPod, an inventor of the iPhone, and founder
of Nest, the company that pioneered the "Internet of
things". He is an active investor and entrepreneur with a
25-year history of founding companies and designing products that
improve people's lives. Fadell has authored more than 300
patents. In May 2016, TIME
named Nest Thermostat, the iPod and iPhone as three of the "50 Most
Influential Gadgets of All Time."
Dr. Ian Hunter is a
Professor of Mechanical Engineering and runs the BioInstrumentation
Lab at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Dr. Hunter
has filed over 150 patents, produced more than 500 scientific and
engineering publications, and has founded and/or co-founded 25
companies. He received his bachelor's, master's and doctorate
degrees from the University of Auckland and completed a post-doctoral
fellowship in the department of Biomedical Engineering at
McGill University in Canada.
John Maddox is the CEO of
the American Center for Mobility. He began his career as a Research
Engineer at Ford Motor Company and has held positions such as
Associate Administrator at the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration and Compliance Officer at Volkswagen North America.
He holds a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Maryland and a master's degree in
engineering management from the University of
Detroit Mercy.
Paul Mascarenas is a
member of the Board of Directors at ON Semiconductor and the United
States Steel Corporation. He previously held a number of
senior leadership positions at Ford Motor Company, most recently
serving as Chief Technical Officer. Paul holds a bachelor's
degree in mechanical engineering from the University of
London, King's College in
England and holds an honorary
doctorate degree from Chongqing
University in China.
TAGS
Technology, innovation, tech council
ABOUT MAGNA
We are a leading global automotive supplier with 317 manufacturing
operations and 102 product development, engineering and sales
centres in 29 countries. We have over 155,000 employees focused on
delivering superior value to our customers through innovative
products and processes, and world class manufacturing. We have
complete vehicle engineering and contract manufacturing expertise,
as well as product capabilities which include body, chassis,
exterior, seating, powertrain, active driver assistance, vision,
closure and roof systems. We also have electronic and software
capabilities across many of these areas. Our common shares
trade on the Toronto Stock Exchange (MG) and the New York Stock
Exchange (MGA). For further information about Magna, visit our
website at www.magna.com.
THIS RELEASE MAY CONTAIN STATEMENTS WHICH CONSTITUTE
"FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS" UNDER APPLICABLE SECURITIES
LEGISLATION AND ARE SUBJECT TO, AND EXPRESSLY QUALIFIED BY, THE
CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMERS THAT ARE SET OUT IN MAGNA'S REGULATORY
FILINGS. PLEASE REFER TO MAGNA'S MOST CURRENT MANAGEMENT'S
DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF RESULTS OF OPERATIONS AND FINANCIAL
POSITION, ANNUAL INFORMATION FORM AND ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 40-F,
AS REPLACED OR UPDATED BY ANY OF MAGNA'S SUBSEQUENT REGULATORY
FILINGS, WHICH SET OUT THE CAUTIONARY DISCLAIMERS, INCLUDING THE
RISK FACTORS THAT COULD CAUSE ACTUAL EVENTS TO DIFFER MATERIALLY
FROM THOSE INDICATED BY SUCH FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS. THESE
DOCUMENTS ARE AVAILABLE FOR REVIEW ON MAGNA'S WEBSITE AT
WWW.MAGNA.COM.
SOURCE Magna International Inc.