Executive Search Success Story: Building the Electrification Leadership Team for a Tier 1 Automotive Supplier Transitioning From Combustion to EV Platforms

How JRG Partners executed a confidential, multi-role North American executive search strategy that equipped a publicly traded Tier 1 automotive supplier with the engineering, program management, and commercial leadership required to win and launch electric vehicle platform awards, transition a combustion-dependent product portfolio, and protect revenue through the industry’s powertrain transition.

The Challenge

A publicly traded Tier 1 supplier had built a profitable business supplying combustion powertrain components to global OEMs, but customer sourcing was shifting rapidly to electrified platforms where the company had limited products, engineering depth, or program credibility. Two recent EV platform bids had been lost to competitors with stronger electrification teams, investors were questioning the company’s transition plan, and the engineering organization was built for incremental combustion development. Executive leadership identified several critical vulnerabilities threatening their market position:

• More than 70% of revenue tied to combustion platforms with declining OEM sourcing volumes
• Two lost EV platform bids attributed to insufficient electrification engineering and launch credibility
• No executive-level electrification engineering or EV program leadership
• OEM commercial relationships built around legacy products rather than electrified content
• Manufacturing engineering unprepared for high-voltage, e-drive, and battery system production
• Investor pressure for a credible, leadership-backed transition plan ahead of the next sourcing cycle

To address these transition risks, the CEO and board launched a strategic talent initiative to build an electrification leadership team capable of winning and launching EV platform awards. The recruitment mandate included the strategic hiring of a Chief Technology Officer, VP of Electrification Engineering, VP of EV Program Management & Launch, VP of OEM Sales & Business Development, and Director of Advanced Manufacturing Engineering. The company required an executive search partner with deep automotive industry focus and direct access to leaders who had delivered electrified programs for global OEMs.

Why They Chose JRG Partners

Automotive Industry Focus

JRG Partners possesses deep recruiting expertise across Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers, OEMs, EV and battery technology companies, and automotive engineering organizations, including engineering, program management, commercial, and manufacturing leadership. This domain knowledge ensured an immediate understanding of OEM sourcing cycles, electrification technology, and the launch disciplines that win platform awards.

Access to Electrification Leaders

Our team specializes in identifying executives who have led e-drive, battery system, power electronics, and EV program development at OEMs, suppliers, and EV startups, bringing the technical credibility and OEM relationships required to compete for electrified content.

Public Company Transition Experience

JRG Partners has extensive experience serving publicly traded automotive suppliers through portfolio transitions, with a clear understanding of investor expectations, OEM customer dynamics, and the urgency of leadership placements tied to sourcing cycles.

Our Executive Search Strategy

Phase 1 — Transition Review

Our consultants partnered directly with the CEO, board, and OEM account leadership to evaluate portfolio exposure, lost bid feedback, engineering capability gaps, manufacturing readiness, and the upcoming sourcing calendar. This review aligned the search with specific platform opportunities and investor commitments.

Phase 2 — Talent Identification & Mapping

Our research team performed an extensive talent mapping initiative targeting electrification engineering, program, commercial, and manufacturing executives at Tier 1 suppliers, OEM electrification divisions, EV startups, and battery and e-drive technology companies. Over 440 executives were systematically assessed across these sectors.

Phase 3 — Candidate Engagement

Priority during outreach was given to leaders with a documented history of winning EV platform awards, launching electrified programs on OEM timelines, building electrification engineering organizations, developing OEM relationships around new content, and industrializing high-voltage and e-drive production. Only candidates meeting these strict performance baselines advanced.

Phase 4 — Selection Process

Candidates completed extensive leadership and technical evaluations, including presentations of electrification strategy to the CEO and board, before advancing to final interviews and reference verification focused on quantified program and commercial outcomes.

Key Outcomes

• 440+ automotive engineering, program, and commercial executive profiles mapped across North America.
• Successfully placed a synchronized electrification leadership tier spanning technology, engineering, program launch, OEM sales, and advanced manufacturing.
• Secured three EV platform awards from two global OEMs within eighteen months.
• Delivered the first electrified program launch on time with OEM readiness scores above target.
• Raised electrified content from under 10% to more than 35% of forward backlog.
• Strengthened investor confidence in the powertrain transition through visible leadership upgrades.