Automotive parts manufacturer Cooper Standard Holdings Inc. promoted three executives to lead the reorganized company following the planned departure of its longtime Chief Operating Officer Keith D. Stephenson.
The Fortune-1000 company divided its global capabilities into three foci: global manufacturing, engineering and innovation.
Patrick R. Clark, a 23-year veteran of the automotive industry, will head the global engineering function as chief global engineering and product strategy officer. Christopher E. Couch will use his prior experience – as chief technical officer of Lear Corp. and vice president of product line strategy and innovation at Cooper-Standard – to head the technology research and development function as chief innovation officer. Newly appointed Chief Global Manufacturing Officer Hans O. Helmrich will head the automotive and non-automotive manufacturing operations, where his experience in manufacturing executive roles across Europe, Asia-Pacific and North America will come in handy.
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- Patrick R. Clark
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- Christopher E. Couch
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- Hans O. Helmrich
These appointments, along with Stephenson’s departure, come at a time of change for the designer and manufacturer of automotive systems and components. The company announced in December it would start construction of a new world headquarters in Northville, Mich., closer to the company’s Global Technology Center in Livonia, Mich. While Cooper-Standard expects this project to be completed by early 2020, Stephenson will have been long gone from the company, as he retires on April 2.
