Motherson Sumi Systems Limited announced the appointment of Veli Matti Ruotsala and Robert Joseph
Remenar to its Board of Directors, effective January 28, 2022. Also, Kunal Malani has been appointed as the new Chief Financial Officer, effective January 28, 2022. He succeeds G.N. Gauba, who has resigned from the role.
Matti Ruotsala, is an industry veteran with vast experience from several corporations. His educational qualification includes an M.Sc. Engineering Degree (Industrial Engineering/tuotantotalous) in 1981 from Helsinki University of Technology (today Aalto University). This was followed by a Core executive MBA degree in 1995 from Helsinki University of Technology (today Aalto University).
He started his career (1982-2005) with the Konecranes plc, a material handling (Cranes) industry. His last stint here was as a Chief Operating Officer and Deputy to CEO from 2001 to 2005. After that, he joined AGCO Corporation, a farming machinery industry as Corporate Vice President AGCO and Managing Director of Valtra for two years i.e., 2005-2007. In 2007 he joined Fortum Corporation where he remained till 2017, donning several senior positions in the interim period. From here he retired as Deputy CEO in November 2017. He continues to hold several positions of trust in multiple companies across various industries.
In the Electrical grids (DSO), energy segment, he is Chairman of the Board of Directors of Caruna Networks Oy, since 2019. Caruna is owned by private equities OMERS and First Sentier Investors and by Finnish pension Funds ELO and KEVA. Also, in Oy Halton Group Ltd. (a family-owned company), he is a member of the Board of Directors since 2006. In the automotive and commercial vehicle industry segment, he is the Chairman of the Board of Directors in PKC Group Ltd. since 2008.
Robert Joseph Remenar is known for optimizing organisations, bringing governance and creating value. He has a track record of turning distressed and developing businesses into profitable, successful, global enterprises through customer diversity, lean manufacturing, portfolio and footprint optimisation and competitive cost structures. He has extensive experience and relationships with automotive OEMs, suppliers, unions, capital markets, private equity and M&A.
He is a Master of Business and Professional Accountancy with degrees from Walsh College (1987) and an undergraduate degree in Finance from Central Michigan University – magna cum laude (1978).
Robert J. Remenar has held several senior positions from the start of his career. He joined General Motors in 1985 and held several executive and managerial positions within General Motors. In 1998 he joined Delphi and held diverse executive positions. He was CFO, Delphi Energy & Chassis Division (1999 – 2000); Business Line Executive Director, Delphi Energy & Chassis Division (2000 – 2001) and Vice President, Delphi Corporation and President, Delphi Steering (2002–2009). In 2009 he joined Nexteer Automotive as President & CEO (2009–2012). From 2012 to 2014 he was President & CEO of Chassix Inc.
He was also Vice Chairman & President, Kensington Capital Acquisition Corp. (2020- 2021). He is currently a Member of the Board of Directors, PKC Group, Helsinki, Finland since April 2012 (Vice Chairman 2013-2017), a member of Motherson Group since 2017. He is also a Member of the Board of Directors, CooperStandard Automotive (Ticker CPS), Novi, MI since May 2015; Chairman of the Compensation Committee since May 2017, Member of the Audit Committee since May 2020 and Member of the Board of Directors, Stanadyne Corporation, Windsor, CT since January 2021.
Kunal Malani has over 2 decades of wide ranging experience in Global Strategy and Planning, Mergers and Acquisitions, Financing, Investment Banking and Assurance. Prior to joining the Motherson Group, Kunal has led teams in the Asia Pacific region at pedigreed firms such as Merrill Lynch Bank of America, IIFL, AT Kearney, and Arthur Andersen. He has advised clients on complex business issues, acquisitions and capital raising transactions in India and internationally.
Kunal has been associated with Motherson group since 2013 as Head – Global Strategy and M&A. In his role, he has led teams in the evaluation, execution and funding of organic and inorganic growth initiatives of the group. Kunal is also a Board Member on some of our key subsidiaries such as Samvardhana Motherson Automotive Systems Group BV (SMRPBV), SMP Deutschland GmbH; Samvardhana Motherson Peguform GmbH etc.
Kunal is a member of Indian Institute of Chartered Accountants (All India Rank Holder) and Alumni of Indian School of Business – Post Graduate Program in Management.
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