Cummins Westport Inc. (CWI) has announced changes to its board of directors and management in accordance with the terms of the 50/50 joint venture agreement between Cummins Inc. and Westport Innovations Inc.
The board of directors changes are as follows:
- Ed Pence, Cummins' vice president of the high-horsepower engine business, is stepping down as chairman of CWI upon completion of his three-year term;
- Jim Arthurs, executive vice president of heavy-duty systems of Westport, has been elected chairman of CWI; and
- Lori Thompson, vice president of engine business marketing at Cummins Inc., is joining the board of directors.
Changes to the management team include the following:
- Pervez Akhtar, business unit controller of Westport who also held positions at Siemens AG, Cooper Industries and Linamar Corp., has been appointed controller of CWI;
- As previously announced, Gord Exel is stepping down as president of CWI at the end of his term and will be returning to a new assignment at Westport; and
- As previously announced, Rob Neitzke, formerly general manager of the construction segment of Cummins' off-highway engine business, has been appointed president of CWI.
In addition to Arthurs and Thompson, the following have been elected to the CWI board of directors for a one-year term:
- Ashoka Achuthan, chief financial officer of Westport;
- Dean Cantrell, automotive (on-highway) business controller of Cummins Inc.;
- Roe East, general manager of the heavy-duty and mid-range on-highway natural gas business at Cummins Inc.; and
- Thomas Rippon, executive vice president of global engineering at Westport.
The changes are effectively immediately.
