Magna, a leading global automotive supplier with 317 manufacturing operations and 102 product development, engineering and sales centres in 29 countries, 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.
Led by Swamy Kotagiri, Magna Chief Technology Officer (CTO), The Advisory Council consists of some of the most renown 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.
“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,” said Kotagiri.
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.
“Magna’s deep vehicle systems knowledge and electronics capabilities, combined with its global engineering and manufacturing expertise, are remarkable. 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,” commented Tony Fadell.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
For the second time in three years, Magna has won an AutomotiveINNOVATIONS Award from the Center of Automotive Management (CAM) and PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) Germany. Magna was recognized as the Most Innovative Automotive Supplier in the chassis, car body and exterior category for its new process of welding steel and aluminum together.
Source: Magna International Inc.
Edited by: G. Davila
