Board of Directors
Daniel M. Hancock
Daniel M. Hancock was appointed to the Board in July 2017, having previously joined the Company's Advisory Board in March of 2017, and appointed Chair of the Board of Directors April 2020. Mr. Hancock is currently President of DMH Strategic Consulting LLC and also serves on the board of directors of Cryoport Systems, Inc., a U.S. headquartered company listed on the NASDAQ. Mr. Hancock retired from General Motors ("GM") in 2011, after 43 years of service in GM's powertrain engineering and general management functions. His last position with GM was Vice President, Global Strategic Product Alliances. During this period he served as Chairman of GM's DMAX and VM Motori diesel engine joint ventures with Isuzu and Fiat, respectively. Mr. Hancock's previous appointments at GM included: Vice President, Global Powertrain Engineering; CEO, Fiat-GM Powertrain; and President, Allison Transmission Division. In these positions he was responsible for providing powertrain products that enabled regulatory dynamometer and vehicle certification and compliance, primarily on emissions and fuel economy. Given the global footprints of these organizations, he was responsible for assuring compliance with multiple, diverse national legal entity regulations and requirements. He now serves in board and advisory positions with several organizations focusing on new powertrain technologies and STEM ("Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics") education. He was President of SAE International in 2014 and is a member of the National Academy of Engineering. He received a master's degree in mechanical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a bachelor's degree also in mechanical engineering from General Motors Institute (now Kettering University), Michigan.
Michele J. Buchignani
Michele J. Buchignani was appointed to the Westport Fuel Systems Board in March, 2018. Ms. Buchignani brings experience as a strategic business leader with extensive senior level expertise in law, finance, private equity, strategy, governance, compliance, risk management, and compensation. Ms. Buchignani is currently Chief Executive Officer of McLean Drive Consulting Ltd., a consulting firm to private equity owned and growth companies and also serves as Managing Partner of McLane Drive Holdings LP., a U.S. real estate holding company. She serves in board and advisory positions with several corporate and not-for-profit organizations including Copper Mountain Mining Corporation, a TSX listed company, TSX Trust Company, a federally regulated trust company, CAI Capital Partners V L.P., White House Design Company Inc., and The Fraser Institute. Her depth of Board experience includes serving as Chair of the Board of Directors, Chair of Governance and Human Resources committees as well as serving on Audit and Corporate Responsibility committees. Previously, Ms. Buchignani held executive positions including as a Director with Teachers’ Private Capital, the private equity arm of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan in Toronto from 2005 to 2009; Managing Director and Head of the Private Equity Funds Group at CIBC Capital Partners in Toronto and New York from 1999 to 2003; and Managing Director, Canadian General Counsel and Head of Compliance for CIBC World Markets from 1996 to 1999. From 1989 to 1996, she practiced corporate law in Toronto and London at Stikeman Elliott and was elected as a partner in 1995. Ms. Buchignani holds the ICD.D designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. Ms. Buchignani holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with Honours in English from the University of British Columbia and a JD from the University of Toronto. She has also completed the Stanford Executive Program at the Graduate School of Business at Stanford University.
Brenda J. Eprile
Brenda J. Eprile joined the Board of Directors in October 2013 and was appointed as Chair of Westport Fuel Systems' Board of Directors from February of 2017 to April 2020. From 2000 to 2012, Ms. Eprile was a Senior Partner at PwC and led the Risk Advisory Services practice. From 1985 to 1997, Ms. Eprile had a distinguished career as a securities regulator in Canada, having held the positions of both Executive Director and Chief Accountant at the Ontario Securities Commission. Ms. Eprile is a Fellow Certified Professional Accountant (FCPA), and holds the ICD.D designation. She has a MBA from Schulich School of Business, York University. She is the former chair of the board of Home Capital Group, a TSX listed company and led the board through a severe liquidity crisis in April 2017 and the settlement of a significant regulatory action and compliance remediation. She is currently a member of the boards of Atlantica Sustainable Infrastructure plc, Olympia Financial Group Inc., Olympia Trust Company and software developer Canvas GFX.
Rita Forst
Rita Forst first joined Westport Fuel Systems as a member of the Westport Fuel Systems Advisory Board in January of 2018. Since 2015 Mrs. Forst has been an independent consultant in the automotive technology business. She serves on the Board of Directors of AerCap Holdings NV, an aviation leasing company headquartered in Dublin, Ireland. In addition, she serves as member of the Supervisory Board of ElringKlinger AG headquartered in Dettingen, Germany and NORMA Group SE in Maintal, Germany and as a member of the Advisory Board of iwis headquartered in Munich, Germany. In 2013, Mrs. Forst retired from Opel/General Motors ("GM") after 36 years of service in its global powertrain and vehicle engineering functions. Her last position with Opel/GM was member of the Opel Management Board and Vice President Vehicle Engineering for General Motors Europe. Mrs. Forst has extensive experience in powertrain and vehicle engineering. She received a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Darmstadt University of Applied Technology and a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from General Motors Institute (now Kettering University), Michigan.
Anthony ("Tony") Guglielmin
Tony Guglielmin was appointed to the Board in January 2021. Mr. Guglielmin serves as SVP and Chief Financial Officer with Ballard Power Systems located in Vancouver, a global leader in clean energy fuel cell products and services, having joined Ballard in June 2010. Mr. Guglielmin previously served as SVP Finance and Chief Financial Officer of Canada Line Rapid Transit Inc. (“Canada Line”), a $2 billion rapid transit project connecting the Vancouver International Airport, City of Richmond and downtown Vancouver, BC. Prior to joining Canada Line, Tony held senior management roles in treasury, capital markets, investor relations, corporate development and strategic planning at both Finning International Inc. and British Columbia Hydro in Vancouver, and the Bank of Nova Scotia in Toronto. Mr. Guglielmin holds a BA in Economics and Political Science and an MBA from McGill University. He also holds the Chartered Financial Analyst designation and is a member of the Financial Executives Institute. He serves on the Board of Westport Fuel Systems, a TSX and Nasdaq-listed company located in Vancouver, BC, and also serves on the Board and is Chair of the Audit Committee of Information Services Corporation (ISV.TO), a TSX listed company located in Regina, Saskatchewan, as well as on the Board of a number of private and not-for-profit organizations. He was also recently awarded the Business in Vancouver 2017 CFO of the year in the Transformation Agent category.
David M. Johnson
David M. Johnson, was appointed Chief Executive Officer in January 2019 and is a member of the Westport Fuel Systems Board of Directors. Mr. Johnson is an industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience leading engine and vehicle development for automotive and commercial vehicle industries around the world. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Johnson served for ten years as President and Chief Executive Officer of Achates Power Inc. leading technical, commercial and corporate development to establish the organization as a leading developer of opposed-piston engines. Mr. Johnson’s distinguished career began in 1990 with Ford Motor Company in Truck Powertrain Planning. He subsequently held a variety of roles in engineering, product planning, program management, and strategic development with increasing responsibility. Since then Mr. Johnson has served in a variety of roles with leading automotive companies including senior roles at Navistar and General Motors. Mr. Johnson combines deep technical expertise with a decades-long career in international markets. He earned a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University.
Prof. Dr. Karl Viktor Schaller
Prof. Dr. Karl Viktor Schaller is currently is an Honorary Professor at the Technical University of Munich, founder and Managing Director of kvs consulting. Previously, Dr. Schaller was the Executive Vice President of motorcycles with BMW AG from April 2014 to July 2019 and Technical Director of the Engineering and Purchasing Department at MAN Truck and Bus SE until 2006. Dr. Schaller then served as a Board Member at MAN and was responsible for product development, purchasing and planning. During his tenure at MAN from 1990 to 2009, he headed various departments including those responsible for development of alternative drive systems (batteries, various hybrids, natural gas, hydrogen in ICE and fuel cells) and heavy trucks. He holds a diploma and a doctorate (Dr.-Ing., magna cum laude) in mechanical engineering from the Technical University of Munich. In 2006 he was awarded honorary professor at the Technical University of Munich for his lecture on "commercial vehicles".
Eileen Wheatman
Eileen Wheatman is an experienced president and Chief Financial Officer with broad senior executive level management experience in a variety of industries including finance and telecommunications. Ms. Wheatman is currently the President of Douglas Communications Inc. having joined the organization as controller in 1996, was named Chief Financial Officer in August 1999, and President in 2017. She has a diverse background in business planning, finance and corporate strategy, as well as public accounting, audit, and estate taxation. Ms. Wheatman is currently on the Board of Directors and Audit Committee for KSR International Co., a Tier 1 auto parts manufacturer with $230M+ in revenue, and also serves on the Board of Directors for Quantum Fuel Systems, a previously publicly traded company acquired through bankruptcy in 2016. Ms. Wheatman holds a bachelor’s degree in business management with emphasis in accounting supplemented with Masters’ classes in Estate Taxation. Ms. Wheatman was awarded The Wall Street Journal award for the highest GPA in Business Management in graduating class and obtained a CPA certification in California in 1990.
Management
David M. Johnson
David M. Johnson was appointed Chief Executive Officer in January 2019 and is a member of the Westport Fuel Systems Board of Directors. Mr. Johnson is an industry veteran with more than 25 years of experience leading engine development for automotive and commercial vehicle industries around the world. Prior to his appointment, Mr. Johnson served ten years as President and Chief Executive Officer of Achates Power Inc. leading technical, commercial and corporate development to establish the organization as a leading developer of opposed-piston engines. Mr. Johnson’s distinguished career began in 1990 with Ford Motor Company in Truck Powertrain Planning. He subsequently held a variety of roles in engineering, product planning, program management, and strategic development with increasing responsibility. Since then Mr. Johnson has served in a variety of roles with leading automotive companies including senior roles at Navistar and General Motors. Mr. Johnson combines deep technical expertise with a decades-long career in international markets. He earned a Master of Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering from Cornell University.
Richard Orazietti
Richard Orazietti was appointed Chief Financial Officer in September of 2019. Mr. Orazietti has had a distinguished career as a finance leader with expertise across multiple finance disciplines and extensive experience working with business and operational management to drive change and improve performance. Prior to joining Westport Fuel Systems, he served as Senior Vice President, Treasurer of Goldcorp, Inc., a former NYSE and TSX listed senior gold producer, where he was responsible for financing the company’s strategic and operating objectives and managing risk exposure. Previously, he also held roles as Senior Vice President, Controller and Vice President, Internal Audit. Prior to Goldcorp, Mr. Orazietti served as Vice President, Finance at BCE Inc., Canada’s largest communications company, where he led the financial management of various operating divisions during a period of significant change in the industry. He brings extensive experience in corporate finance, risk management, financial reporting and control, operational management, strategic planning and in leading change. He is a Chartered Professional Accountant (“CPA”) in British Columbia and holds a Global Executive MBA from the IESE Business School at the University of Navarra and a Bachelor of Business Administration from Simon Fraser University. Mr. Orazietti is also fluent in French, Italian, and Spanish.
Lance Follett
Lance Follett is Chief Legal Officer and Executive Vice President overseeing Corporate Development, Legal, Government Relations and Intellectual Property. He joined Westport Fuel Systems in 2001 as intellectual property counsel and has worked in a variety of capacities including Vice President of Licensing, Vice President of European Partnerships and Senior Vice President of Corporate Development and Intellectual Property. He assumed his current role in 2017. He has an extensive background in market development, intellectual property protection and licensing, mergers and acquisitions, and structuring and negotiating international technology deals in the energy, high tech, alternative energy, and automotive space. Mr. Follett is a member of the Law Society of British Columbia and a registered Patent Agent. He holds a B.Sc. (Hons) degree from the University of British Columbia, a J.D. from the University of Victoria and has completed executive programs at Harvard and INSEAD. Prior to joining Westport Fuel Systems, Mr. Follett practiced law at one of Canada’s national law firms where he focused on intellectual property litigation. Prior to his career as a lawyer, he also had a successful career as an acquisition geophysicist based in Southeast Asia. He has lived and worked extensively in North America, Europe, South America, and Asia.
Tim Smith
With over 38 years of commercial transportation industry experience Tim Smith has recently been appointed Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff. Mr. Smith has held a variety of technical, management, and executive roles at Daimler Trucks North America, Navistar, and Dana Corporation. He is experienced in the development and execution of business strategies that result in both top line revenue growth and bottom line profitability. Leading global cross-functional teams Tim has developed and institutionalized Management Operating Systems that positively impact operational efficiencies and business performance while reaching strategic goals. Integrating deep business knowledge with his technical background Mr. Smith identifies initiatives which provide detailed business insights and portfolio management solutions that result in streamlined processes, reduced complexity, and global scale efficiencies. Tim earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Toledo.
Anders Johansson
Anders Johansson was appointed Vice President, Heavy-Duty OEM and General Manager, Gothenburg Operations in 2019. Anders leads the core team that is responsible for global heavy-duty operations, OEM partnerships, and customer interface following the successful commercial launch of Westport HPDI 2.0™ in 2018. As Managing Director of Westport AB, he oversaw the development, build, and installation of natural gas fuel systems for Volvo Car Group’s V60, V70, and V90 bi-fuel vehicles at the Westport AB facility in Gothenburg, Sweden. Mr. Johansson joined Westport Fuel Systems in 2011 as part of the Company’s acquisition of Alternative Fuel Vehicles ("AFV") Sweden, an organization he co-founded in 2008. With almost 20 years of extensive experience in the automotive industry, he has held various technical, research, and management roles at Volvo Car Corporation and Ford Motor Company specific to alternative fuel technology. Anders led part of the C1 vehicle platform development; a joint development between Volvo Car, Ford, and Mazda in 2004. He was also part of the first Volvo Car domestic production launch in China at the Changan Ford factory in Chongqing, China in 2007. Mr. Johansson holds a Master of Science Degree from Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, Sweden granted in 2000.
Nicola Cosciani
Nicola Cosciani was appointed Global Operations EVP in April 2020. He served as Supply Chain Manager, Operation Manager and Business Unit Manager in multinational companies as ABB who are listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange - and FIAMM a European major battery maker. He has acted as CEO in several companies active in traditional businesses such as Infrastructure components and innovative markets like Energy Storage and incubators for various startups. Nicola has participated in different Regulatory bodies in Italy and European Community, being an active participant in new regulations design and lobbying activities. Mr.Cosciani graduated in Economics at Bologna University and has a strong background in Organization and Change management.
Scott Baker
Scott Baker is Vice President, Engineering and General Manager, Vancouver Operations at Westport Fuel Systems. He joined Westport Fuel Systems in 1998 as Application Engineering Leader and has since worked in a variety of roles including Product Planning, Product Management, Chief Engineer, Senior Director Purchasing and Supplier Quality, and Vice President HD Business, before assuming his current role in 2019. Mr. Baker’s 20+ years of experience in the heavy-duty commercial vehicle industry includes a multi-year secondment to the Cummins Westport joint venture (2001-13), during which time Mr. Baker has been involved in multiple engine development and fuel system development programs with significant commercial, technical, customer-facing and supplier-facing responsibilities. Mr. Baker holds a Bachelor of Applied Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of British Columbia.
Rohan Athaide
Mr. Athaide, of British Columbia, Canada, is Westport Fuel System’s Compliance Officer and Vice President, Risk Management & Assurance, a position he has held since he joined Westport Fuel Systems in May 2020. Before joining us, Mr. Athaide served as the Vice President, Risk Management & Assurance at Goldcorp Inc., a former NYSE and TSX listed senior gold producer, where he provided counsel on a wide range of corporate governance and operational and risk management topics while leading the Internal Audit, Enterprise Risk Management, Insurance and Ethics & Compliance functions. Before Goldcorp, Mr. Athaide held increasingly senior positions in the Advisory Services practice of Ernst & Young, during which he provided consulting services in risk management, process improvement, and change management, while also leading internal audit and internal controls over financial reporting services for several multi-national corporations. Mr. Athaide holds an Honour’s Bachelor of Arts specializing in economics from the University of Toronto and subsequently has obtained certifications in internal audit, risk management and strategic excellence.
Marco Seimandi
Marco Seimandi is Westport Fuel Systems Sales & Marketing Vice President. Previously, Mr.Seimandi served as the Sales & Marketing Director of Fuel Systems Solutions. Mr, Seimandi joined MTM – which merged into Westport Fuel Systems Italia in 1996 as Commercial Director, after having previously served as Regional Commercial Manager for the French automotive component group Valeo. Mr.Seimandi holds a Degree in Aircraft Engineering at Turin Polytechnic, Italy and a Business Administration degree at the CEDEP/INSEAD Institute at Fontainebleau in France.
Bart van Aerle
Bart van Aerle is Vice President Product and Business Strategy of Westport Fuel Systems having previously served as Vice President Prins, one of the corporation’s material subsidiaries and key brand of Westport Fuel Systems in the Netherlands. In this role, Mr. van Earle is responsible for strategic planning, the development of the corporation’s technology and product roadmaps, and identifying new market and industry partnerships. As Vice President, Prins, Mr.van Aerle led the strategy and operations of the Corporation’s Eindhoven operations and the Prins brand, expanding sales of high-quality LPG, CNG and LNG aftermarket systems and components for automotive and transportation vehicles worldwide. Previously, Mr. van Aerle served as president of Cummins Westport from January 2018-2019 where he oversaw the corporation’s joint venture launch of the first heavy-duty Class 8 truck with near-zero emissions. Mr. van Aerle holds a Bachelor of Business Administration and Engineering from Fontys University in Eindhoven.
Solomon Samuel
Solomon Samuel is Vice President, Global Human Resources at Westport Fuel Systems. Solomon joined Westport Fuel Systems in 2020 and is responsible for the Global Human Resources function. He is a seasoned HR Leader, with a rich and varied international work experience, having worked for large Multi-National Companies such as GE Medical Systems, Lucent Technologies, VMware and AB Volvo. He has worked and lived in Asia, Europe and North America. During his career span of over 36 years, he has held various HR leadership positions at the Country, Regional and Global level, in HR Operations, in Specialist roles in Recruitment and C&B, HR Center of Expertise and as an HR Business Partner. Solomon is a Chartered Professional in Human Resources ("CPHR") of British Columbia & Yukon, Canada and is a Senior Certified Professional of the Society of Human Resources Management ("SHRM-SCP"). He holds a Master's Degree in Science, from the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore and a Master's Degree in Human Resources Management and Labor Relations, from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Bombay.
