Valeo Appoints Chief Technical Officer - North America, Supporting Growth of Innovation and Engineering in the Region

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Oct 11, 2016, 09:19 ET

TROY, Mich., Oct. 11, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Valeo announced the appointment of James Schwyn as Chief Technical Officer (CTO) – North America, effective immediately. The position of CTO is new in North America, created to support and further promote the company's growth of innovation and engineering throughout the region.

Schwyn's responsibilities will include strengthening the company's interface with the high-level engineering leadership of customers in North America, including new emerging OEMs. He also will be responsible for identifying opportunities within new business models and target markets including mobility solutions, autonomous driving, connectivity and electrification.

Another key component of Schwyn's role will be assisting in the recruitment and ongoing development of engineering talent in the region. Valeo currently has about 1,000 engineers working for its development programs in North America and plans to increase this number by 50% in the next five years. This engineering growth will be located at its innovation centers in the San Francisco Bay area, the metropolitan Detroit area and in Mexico.

Schwyn has 20 years of experience with Valeo, including leadership roles in Quality, Manufacturing and R&D. Prior to his appointment as CTO – North America; he was Thermal North America Regional Operations Director. He reports to Jean-Francois Tarabbia, Valeo Senior Vice President, Group R&D and Product Marketing.

Valeo is an automotive supplier, partner to all automakers worldwide. As a technology company, Valeo proposes innovative products and systems that contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions and to the development of intuitive driving.

In 2015, the Group generated sales of €14.5 billion and invested over 10% of its original equipment sales in research and development. Valeo has 148 plants, 19 research centers, 35 development centers and 15 distribution platforms, and employs 88,800 people in 32 countries worldwide.

Valeo is listed on the Paris stock exchange and is a member of the CAC 40 index.

For more information about the Valeo Group and its activities, please visit our website, www.valeo.com

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