NOVI, Mich.—Cooper Standard Automotive Inc. has appointed Christopher E. Couch to the newly created position of vice president, innovation and product groups.
He will report to Chief Operating Officer Keith Stephenson and brings more than 20 years of global automotive manufacturing experience with original equipment manufacturers and Tier 1 suppliers. He will lead Cooper Standard's i3 Innovation Process.
Stephenson said in a statement that i3 already has produced several breakthrough innovations, especially in material science and lightweighting.
Couch most recently served as chief technical officer and global manufacturing vice president at Lear Corp., prior to that served as group vice president for Johnson Controls Asia-Pacific during his seven-year tenure with Johnson Controls Inc. He held roles of increasing responsibility at Toyota Motor Corp. from 2002-06.