Knowles CEO and leadership

Kalpana Sehwani is a Chief Executive Officer and Founder at KNOWLES CORP and is based in Los Angeles, California.

Mr. Niew currently serves as president and chief executive officer of Knowles (since 2013). He was also former vice president of Dover, and president and chief executive officer of Dover Communication Technologies (from 2011 to February 2014). Mr. Niew joined Knowles Electronics LLC in 2000, and became chief operating officer in 2007, president in 2008 and president and chief executive officer in 2010. Prior to joining Knowles Electronics, Mr. Niew was employed by Littelfuse, Inc. (from 1995 to 2000), where he held various positions in product management, sales and engineering in the Electronic Products group, and by Hewlett-Packard Company (from 1988 to 1994) where he served in various engineering and product management roles in the Optoelectronics Group.

As chief executive officer, Mr. Niew facilitates the Board’s access to timely and relevant information and its oversight of management’s long-term strategy, planning and performance. Mr. Niew brings to the Board considerable management experience and a deep understanding of Knowles’ markets and operating model which he gained during more than 18 years in management positions at Knowles, including nine years in senior management positions. He brings broad experience in all aspects of management and Knowles’ products, technologies, customers, markets, operations and executive team and offers sound insight on business strategy, capital allocation, transactions and succession planning. Mr. Niew holds a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Additional Board experience includes serving as director of Advanced Diamond Technologies, Inc., as well as a member of the Advisory Board of the University of Illinois - College of Engineering.

Senior Vice President/CFO with significant experience in both industrial and electronics industry. Skilled in Capital Markets, Investor Relations, Strategic Planning, Business Process Improvement, and External Financial Reporting. CPA and graduate of University of Chicago Booth School of Business. Significant international experience including 2 year expat assignment in Germany.

Daniel Giesecke is senior vice president and chief operating officer and manages the company’s operational strategy. He is responsible for global operations, advanced manufacturing engineering, quality assurance, and supply chain management that includes sourcing and procurement, planning, inventory, and global order fulfillment at Knowles. Daniel’s leadership creates value by delivering innovative processes and automation to achieve and best-in-class quality and delivery of products, which has positioned Knowles as a world-class manufacturer.

Daniel joined Knowles in 1995 and has held positions with increasing responsibility in engineering, supply chain and operations. Throughout his time at the company, Daniel led the start-up of multiple manufacturing sites throughout Asia as well as the transfer of operations between facilities. Under his leadership, his team developed the manufacturing process for the first surface-mounted MEMs microphone, the SiSonic™ Series and scaled into High Volume Manufacturing. Through his work in enhancing global value creation processes, Daniel has helped improve the company’s efficiency and profitability.

Previously, he was at Ohmite Manufacturing Co. for three years, where he developed and scaled into production, high-power, thick film resistors.

Daniel graduated from Northern Illinois University with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering. He also received his Master of Engineering Management degree from Northwestern University.

A member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and International Microelectronics Assembly and Packaging Society, he also volunteers and supports various wildlife and conservation organizations.

Daniel lives in the Chicago area with his wife and three children.

Ray Cabrera manages the company’s human capital strategy including talent acquisition, organizational development, talent management and total rewards for Knowles, and oversees human resources for a global employee base of more than 13,000 employees. Through Ray’s focus on attracting talent with a passion for innovation and a drive for success, Knowles repeatedly has received recognition as a top workplace. Ray joined Knowles in 1997 and has played a key role in acquiring the competencies to position Knowles as the technology leader –recruiting and developing the senior leadership team and helping the company expand its operational footprint in Asia. He is also responsible for overseeing the information technology function including global infrastructure, ERP and business applications, as well as the communications function including corporate communications, branding and marketing communications. Ray graduated from Loyola University with a bachelor’s degree in business administration and also holds an MBA from DePaul University. Ray resides in St. Charles, Illinois with his wife and three sons. He and his family are active in the community and serve and support several local charities.

Kalpana Sehwani is a Chief Executive Officer and Founder at KNOWLES CORP and is based in Los Angeles, California.

Mr. Niew currently serves as president and chief executive officer of Knowles (since 2013). He was also former vice president of Dover, and president and chief executive officer of Dover Communication Technologies (from 2011 to February 2014). Mr. Niew joined Knowles Electronics LLC in 2000, and became chief operating officer in 2007, president in 2008 and president and chief executive officer in 2010. Prior to joining Knowles Electronics, Mr. Niew was employed by Littelfuse, Inc. (from 1995 to 2000), where he held various positions in product management, sales and engineering in the Electronic Products group, and by Hewlett-Packard Company (from 1988 to 1994) where he served in various engineering and product management roles in the Optoelectronics Group.

As chief executive officer, Mr. Niew facilitates the Board’s access to timely and relevant information and its oversight of management’s long-term strategy, planning and performance. Mr. Niew brings to the Board considerable management experience and a deep understanding of Knowles’ markets and operating model which he gained during more than 18 years in management positions at Knowles, including nine years in senior management positions. He brings broad experience in all aspects of management and Knowles’ products, technologies, customers, markets, operations and executive team and offers sound insight on business strategy, capital allocation, transactions and succession planning. Mr. Niew holds a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Illinois at Chicago.

Additional Board experience includes serving as director of Advanced Diamond Technologies, Inc., as well as a member of the Advisory Board of the University of Illinois - College of Engineering.