American automotive component supplier BorgWarner has announced leadership change with Joseph Fadool, Executive Vice-President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), to be elevated as the new President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO).

He will also become a member of BorgWarner’s Board of Directors effective at the close of business on 6 February, 2025.

Fadool is set to succeed Frederic Lissalde who will retire from his role as President and CEO and step down from the Board of Directors. Lissalde will serve in an advisory role until 30 August, 2025 to support the transition. 

Alexis P. Michas, Non-Executive Chairman of the Board of Directors, BorgWarner, said, “As CEO, Fred has reshaped our product portfolio and set BorgWarner on a path to lead the world’s energy transition to electrified vehicles. Fred has been an exceptional leader and embodies our beliefs, values and innovative culture. We believe Fred’s passion for our business and customer focus have positioned the company for success for years to come. We look forward to celebrating his career over the coming months as we transition to our next CEO and send Fred off to a well-deserved retirement.”

“Today’s announcement reflects the Board’s thoughtful approach to succession planning. Joe has been a trusted member of our leadership team for 14 years, and we are excited to name him as BorgWarner’s next President and CEO. Having served as a President of four business units, Joe has an incredibly deep understanding of our industry, technology focused product portfolio, operations, culture and strong customer relationships. This makes Joe very well prepared to lead BorgWarner to achieve new levels of success and value creation for our stakeholders,” he said.

Frederic Lissalde said, “It has been a privilege to work alongside our talented BorgWarner team for 25 years, and I am incredibly proud of all we have accomplished. Together, we have carefully curated a resilient portfolio of market leading technologies that are accelerating the world’s transition to electrification, which we believe will be successful under different regional powertrain adoption scenarios. I know that Joe will step seamlessly into the CEO role and continue guiding BorgWarner to even greater heights. His track record of operational excellence and dynamic thinking make him the right person for the role, and I am excited to follow the Company’s continued success with him at the helm.” 

Joseph Fadool said, “Fred has been an incredible mentor to me, and I am honoured to be appointed the next CEO of BorgWarner. Over the last 14 years, I have worked closely with BorgWarner’s talented workforce and our customers to solve the world’s propulsion problems in new and innovative ways. I believe BorgWarner’s world-class product portfolio, innovative and customer-centric culture, and strong operating model position the company well to drive favourable business results for many years. As we look to capture growth opportunities ahead, we will stay focused on enhancing our strong product portfolio, efficiently managing our costs to stay competitive and supporting our dynamic teams around the globe to deliver value to our customers. We believe this focus will further strengthen our product leadership position. The future for BorgWarner is bright and I’m incredibly excited to get started in my new role.”

Fadool joined BorgWarner in 2010 and has held a number of top positions across the company, including Chief Operating Officer and President and General Manager of Emissions, Thermal and Turbo Systems, Morse Systems and TorqTransfer Systems, the precursor to PowerDrive Systems. He has also previously worked at Continental Automotive Systems as Vice-President for North American Electronic Operations and at Ford Motor Company.

He holds a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering from Lawrence Technological University and a Master of Science in computer and electronic controls from Wayne State University.

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Chennai-headquartered JK Fenner (India), part of JK Group, recently marked its 70th anniversary on 2^nd September 2025, celebrating decades of innovation and growth.

The event was attended by Udhayanidhi Stalin, the Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, as the Chief Guest, Vikrampati Singhania, MD, JK Fenner, also attended, along with customers and guests.

Founded in 1955, JK Organisation took over Fenner in 1987. Since then, JK Fenner has grown from a manufacturer of V-belts to a provider of belt, sealing and fluid transmission solutions. At present, JK Fenner operates nine plants, with five in Tamil Nadu. The company has investments in the state and renewable energy assets of 9.75 MW. Its R&D centres and a team of over 120 specialists support OEMs.

Udhayanidhi Stalin, said, “I congratulate JK Fenner India for its glorious journey over these seven decades. With contributions from companies like JK Fenner (India) Limited, Tamil Nadu has built a strong industrial base. Today, our state’s growth rate has soared to 11.19 percent. The company has supported, more than 10 lakh people, under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programmes. I assure you that the Tamil Nadu Government will always support local companies in expanding their global reach.”

Dr. Raghupati Singhania, Chairman, JK Fenner, said, “This milestone is not just a number, it is a legacy, a testament to seven decades of resilience, innovation, and excellence. From one facility in Madurai, we now operate nine state-of-the-art plants, and tomorrow we will proudly roll out our 75 millionth belt from our Automotive plant in Madurai, underscoring our leadership in power transmission solutions. Tamil Nadu has always been at the forefront of India’s industrial revolution, attracting world-class investments, and we at JK Fenner are proud to have contributed to this ecosystem and thank the government for its support to the industry and manufacturing sector in particular.”

Vikrampati Singhania, said, “It is both a privilege and a joy to celebrate 70 years of JK Fenner with our extended family of employees, partners, customers, and well-wishers. This milestone is not just ours, but the collective achievement of countless hands and minds who have propelled us forward. From humble beginnings in Madurai, we have grown into a trusted partner across automotive, industrial, agriculture, railways, and defence sectors. Looking ahead, our focus will be on driving future mobility, advancing sustainability, and expanding our global footprint through innovation, digitalisation, and world-class engineering.”

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German technology major Continental has announced the sale of its ContiTech Original Equipment Solutions (OESL) business to Regent, as part of its strategy to narrow the focus of its ContiTech group on industrial clients.

OESL, which develops and manufactures hose lines and bearing elements for both internal combustion and electric vehicles, employs over 16,000 people and generated approximately EUR 1.9 billion in sales in fiscal year 2024.

This is in line with the company's plan, outlined at its Capital Market Day in June, to establish four strong and independent business units.

Philip Nelles, Member of Continental’s Executive Board and Head of the ContiTech group, said, "The decision to sell OESL is part of our broader strategy to intensify our focus on our industrial business. Going forward, ContiTech will be a standalone specialist for material solutions with a strong focus on industry. Given the dynamic market environment, concentrating on industrial business is the cornerstone of our strategy. Following the sale of OESL, ContiTech will generate around 80 per cent of its sales with industrial customers. Our customer portfolio is highly diversified, both by industry and by region."

Michael A. Reinstein, Founder and Chairman, Regent, added, “With its attractive product portfolio and extensive automotive expertise, OESL has a strong foundation and excellent growth prospects. As a long-term, strategically oriented owner, we will work closely with management to drive the transformation to sustainable, future-oriented mobility solutions and harness OESL’s potential to enhance value. This will create meaningful opportunities for our employees around the world.”

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Indian-origin lubricant manufacturer NDTH Energy has significantly advanced its global standing with the Volvo VDS-3 approval for its EnerG G Force XL engine oil. This prestigious certification confirms the lubricant's compliance with some of the most stringent international performance standards for heavy-duty engines, specifically in areas like extended oil drain intervals, superior engine wear protection and enhanced fuel efficiency for commercial vehicles.

This achievement is a major endorsement, positioning NDTH among a select group of global lubricant companies and greatly strengthening the product's acceptance worldwide. It follows another notable milestone for the company, which was the first from the country to secure the demanding Mercedes-Benz MB 229.51 and MB 229.52 certifications for its fully synthetic engine oil. These accomplishments collectively underscore the company's consistent ability to develop products that meet exacting original equipment manufacturer specifications.

Complementing its innovation in lubricants, NDTH Energy has also formed a strategic partnership with German additive specialist GAT GmbH. This collaboration has introduced the GAT X EnerG line of automotive care products, including fuel system cleaners and engine flushes, to the Indian market. This initiative supports the national Atmanirbhar Bharat mission by elevating domestic capabilities in the automobile sector.

Navkaran Singh Sethi, Founder, NDTH Energy, said, “This achievement is a proud moment for NDTH Energy as an Indian-origin brand making its mark on the global stage. The Volvo VDS-3 approval underscores our commitment to engineering excellence, quality and sustainability while showcasing the capability of Indian manufacturers to meet the most rigorous international standards.”

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Aligarh-headquartered automotive component maker Pavna Industries is forming a a 80:20 joint venture with Taiwan-based SmartChip Microelectronic Corporation (SMC).

As per the understanding, Pavna will undertake and carry on the business of inter-alia making electronic components for the automobile industry (ICE & EV) and other industries, including hardware for residential/commercial industries, aero and medical, among others in India.

The JV will leverage Pavna’s operational, manufacturing and procurement expertise, as well as its deep understanding of the Indian automotive market, to oversee and manage the operations in India.

On the other hand, SMC will contribute its present and future technical skills, innovations and R&D capabilities in automotive e-lock systems, EV components like motor controller, throttle body, dashboard for two-wheeler & three-wheeler, EV charging piles and e-locking solutions for residential and commercial applications. SMC’s engineering and product development expertise will ensure the JV remains technologically advanced and globally competitive.

Swapnil Jain, Managing Director, Pavna Industries, sai,d "This strategic partnership is an important milestone on our path to emerging as a mobility solutions leader in advanced technologies. By merging Pavna's manufacturing and market capabilities with SMC's state-of-the-art electronics knowledge, we expect to speed up the penetration of EV technologies in India as well as grow into new high-growth markets. With this partnership, we will also further enhance our capacity to serve domestic and global markets with innovative, dependable, and sustainable solutions."

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