Tenneco CEO and leadership

Brian Kesseler is chief executive officer for Tenneco Inc., one of the world’s largest designers, manufacturers and marketers of ride performance and clean air products and systems for automotive and commercial vehicle original equipment markets and the aftermarket.

In 2018, Tenneco announced plans to create two new companies through the acquisition of Federal-Mogul LLC. Kesseler was named chairman and CEO of the new Aftermarket and Ride Performance company, and serves as Tenneco CEO during the transition. He is also a member of Tenneco’s Board of Directors.

Kesseler was named chief executive officer of Tenneco in 2017, after joining the company in 2015 as chief operating officer. As CEO, he was responsible for driving operational excellence, financial performance and revenue growth across all of Tenneco’s business segments globally. He also served a key role in developing and executing Tenneco’s strategies for growth and profitability improvement.

Prior to joining Tenneco, Kesseler spent more than 20 years with Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI), in his last role serving as president of the Johnson Controls Power Solutions business, which supplies more than one-third of the world’s conventional batteries to major automakers and aftermarket retailers. He was responsible for strategy development and execution, technology initiatives and operations. In 2013, he was named a corporate officer, and was a member of the Johnson Controls executive operating team. Kesseler also served as the sponsor of Johnson Controls’ Manufacturing Operations Council.

Kaled Awada is a Senior VP/Chief Human Resources Ofcr at TENNECO INC and is based in Marshall, Michigan. He has worked as Vice President, Human Resources - Electrical Sector APAC at Eaton; Director Human Resources, Industrial Sector - Global HR Transformation at Eaton; and Regional HR Manager at TEXTRON INC. Kaled studied at The Ohio State University between 1993 and 1998 and CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY.

Kevin Baird joined Tenneco as the company’s Chief Operating Officer in August 2020. He is a member of the company’s executive leadership team and is responsible for leading and supporting critical strategic and operations initiatives that deliver margin expansion and cash generation improvements.

Baird joined Tenneco from Guardian Industries, a wholly owned subsidiary of Koch Industries, Inc., where he spent the previous six years serving as CEO of its Guardian Glass business, a producer of high-performance glass for architectural, transportation and technical applications. Baird joined Guardian in 2008 as CEO of SRG Global, Inc., the company’s automotive trim business.

Before joining Guardian, Baird served on the operations team of private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management, and prior to that, as CEO of Qualitor, an automotive braking systems supplier. He began his career at Federal-Mogul, where he spent more than 15 years in operations and management positions of increasing responsibility, including vice president and general management roles in the Powertrain Systems business.

Baird holds a bachelor’s degree from Allegheny College and an MBA from the University of Pittsburgh.

Broad-based corporate and crisis communications executive experienced with companies in transition, in the global manufacturing, retail, airline and insurance sectors. Extensive experience serving as primary corporate spokesman for Fortune 100 companies.

Specialties: Distinguishing strengths include integrating corporate communications, managing organizational crisis and change, developing innovative strategic approaches and containing program budgets. Extensive experience counseling top management and building organizational consensus. A proven leader with experience recruiting, developing and directing in-house public relations talent, as well as retaining and evaluating performance of public relations, promotions and public affairs agencies.

Ernie Keith is Tenneco’s senior vice president and chief supply chain officer, responsible for leadership of the company’s global supply chain infrastructure. When DRiV™ spins from Tenneco, Keith is expected to serve in the same position with DRiV, pending completion of all required steps and related board approvals.

Before joining Tenneco in 2018, Keith served as COO of North Atlantic Industries. Prior to that, he spent 11 years with Arrow Electronics, the last four of which as senior vice president, global services, overseeing the company's supply chain excellence. In addition, Keith spent 18 years with Hewlett Packard in roles of increasing responsibility. He began his career as an engineer with Chevron Corporation.

Brian Kesseler is chief executive officer for Tenneco Inc., one of the world’s largest designers, manufacturers and marketers of ride performance and clean air products and systems for automotive and commercial vehicle original equipment markets and the aftermarket.

In 2018, Tenneco announced plans to create two new companies through the acquisition of Federal-Mogul LLC. Kesseler was named chairman and CEO of the new Aftermarket and Ride Performance company, and serves as Tenneco CEO during the transition. He is also a member of Tenneco’s Board of Directors.

Kesseler was named chief executive officer of Tenneco in 2017, after joining the company in 2015 as chief operating officer. As CEO, he was responsible for driving operational excellence, financial performance and revenue growth across all of Tenneco’s business segments globally. He also served a key role in developing and executing Tenneco’s strategies for growth and profitability improvement.

Prior to joining Tenneco, Kesseler spent more than 20 years with Johnson Controls Inc. (JCI), in his last role serving as president of the Johnson Controls Power Solutions business, which supplies more than one-third of the world’s conventional batteries to major automakers and aftermarket retailers. He was responsible for strategy development and execution, technology initiatives and operations. In 2013, he was named a corporate officer, and was a member of the Johnson Controls executive operating team. Kesseler also served as the sponsor of Johnson Controls’ Manufacturing Operations Council.