As the auto industry reinvents itself, the 2022 class of Automotive News Rising Stars is right on the front lines. These 21 honorees are helping lead automakers, suppliers and technology companies into the coming era of autonomous and electric vehicles.
Robert Bosch
North America
Vice President of Electrification
Erich
Banhegyi
Big Break: Being project leader of the team that designed Bosch’s first hybrid drive — an e-motor and clutch — which debuted in 2010.
Age: 43
Valeo
Regional Operations Quality Director
Fernanda
Barrales
Big Break: Moved from sales into a more technically challenging management career track in project management and manufacturing.
Age: 41
Honda Development
and Manufacturing
of America
Chief Engineer, Senior Manager
Annie
Boh
Big Break: Gaining buy-in from upper management to lead the business development of Honda’s wind tunnel facility in the U.S.
Age: 42
Stellantis
Vice President of Jeep Product Management
Tavon
Brooks
Big Break: Becoming Jeep’s director of product management in 2021.
Age: 39
Ricardo Inc.
Senior Vice President Electrification Strategy and Technology
Yansong
Chen
Big Break: Both of Chen’s parents were executives at China’s FAW Group, one of the country’s largest automakers. Their careers inspired her to become an engineer.
Age: 45
Forvia
Vice President of Interiors Unit in North America
Marinela
Cirstea
Big Break: As a new program manager, oversaw development of the Renault Clio interior.
Age: 42
Hyundai Motor America
Director, Marketing Communications
Kate
Fabian
Big Break: Coming to the U.S. to launch Genesis after being selected in a green card lottery, which enabled a timely transition.Â
Age: 45
Nissan Motor Co.
Director, Electric Vehicles Marketing and Sales Strategy
Aditya
Jairaj
Big Break: Being tapped for a stint at Nissan’s global headquarters, helping him develop relationships with key executives and better understand how the organization operates globally.
Age: 40
Gatik
Co-Founder and Chief Engineer
Apeksha
Kumavat
Big Break: Starting a self-driving truck company at a time competitors focused on robotaxis.
Age: 31
Toyota
Financial Services
Chief Data and Analytics Officer
Nate
Litton
Big Break: Showing Toyota Financial Services how data, probabilities and analytics could dramatically improve its performance.
Age: 40
General Motors
Assistant Chief Engineer of Super Cruise
Jeff
Miller
Big Break: Accelerating the rollout of the Super Cruise hands-free driving-assist technology and enhancing its features.
Age: 38
General Motors
Chief Engineer of Electric Drive Systems
Hanaan
Miller
Big Break: Led a team that designed and built an in-house traction inverter.
Age: 45
Mazda North
American Operations
Manager of Vehicle Safety, Compliance, Planning & Development
Jennifer
Morrison
Big Break: Leaving a nearly 20-year career with the federal government for a role with Mazda, which allowed her to effect greater changes in vehicle safety.
Age: 45
Axalta Coating Systems
Vice President for Mobility Americas
Dan
Naugle
Big Break: Joining Axalta in 2013, months after the former DuPont Performance Coatings business became an independent company.
Age: 45
Panasonic Automotive
CFO
Kevin
Ostertag
Big Break: As a young plant controller for a factory project in 2008, Ostertag was part of a team that earned a Johnson Controls Chairman’s Award for launching the high-profile assignment.
Age: 41
Lear Corp.
Platform Director for E-Systems
Briana
Porter
Big Break: Being chosen as a program manager for wire harnesses, one of the company’s top moneymaking products.
Age: 44
Adient North America
Director of Business Unit Purchasing
Julie
Rudy
Big Break: Being promoted to a director level position at Faurecia, allowing her to break into a male-dominated space and work on big-picture managerial goals.
Age: 42
Fyusion
CEO and Co-Founder
Radu
Rusu
Big Break: Integrating Fyusion with Cox Automotive and scaling its vehicle imaging technologies within a larger company.
Age: 41
Waymo
Head of Supply Chain Planning and Materials Management
Andressa
Teixeira
Big Break: Brought consumer electronics expertise on materials planning to AV business.
Age: 39
Ford Motor Co.
F-150 Lightning Marketing Manager
Jasen
Turnbull
Big Break: Leading the go-to-market strategy for the launch of the Ford F-150 Lightning.
Age: 33
Toyota Motor
North America
General Manager of Trucks
Marcus
Umlauff
Big Break: Coming to the U.S. from Australia on a temporary assignment to work on pickups.
Age: 44