Tenneco Inc. has named Brian Kesseler chief operating officer, effective Jan. 12, 2015. Kesseler replaces Hari Nair who is retiring March 31 after a transition period.
Kesseler, 48, is president of Johnson Controls Inc.’s Power Solutions division, where he leads a $6 billion global business, supplying more than one-third of the world’s conventional batteries to original equipment manufacturers and the aftermarket.
He is a member of the Johnson Controls executive operating team and serves as the executive sponsor of Johnson Controls’ Global Manufacturing Operations Council, providing leadership to achieve operational excellence across the Johnson Controls global enterprise. Kesseler joined Johnson Controls in 1994.
“I sincerely thank Hari Nair for his outstanding service to Tenneco. During his tenure, Tenneco has generated significant growth, improved operationally and successfully entered new markets that are key to our future success,” says Gregg Sherrill, chairman and CEO, Tenneco.
Nair, 55, has been serving as Tenneco’s chief operating officer since 2010.
Tenneco is an $8 billion global manufacturing company with headquarters in Lake Forest, Ill., and approximately 26,000 employees worldwide. Tenneco designs, manufactures and markets clean air and ride performance products and systems for automotive, commercial truck and off-highway original equipment markets and the aftermarket. Tenneco’s principal brand names are Monroe, Walker, XNOx and Clevite Elastomer.
