AIAG’s newest board members offer unique perspectives on the changing industry and look forward to supporting the association’s efforts to address upcoming challenges and opportunities.

SOUTHFIELD, Michigan, July 27, 2018 – The Automotive Industry Action Group (AIAG) announces the appointment of Randall Anderson and Jacklyn Watt to its board of directors. Comprised of 24 executives from the automotive and transportation OEM and supplier communities, the board provides strategic direction for AIAG, and oversees collaborative efforts to strengthen the industry’s competitiveness.

Despite being new additions to AIAG’s board, neither Anderson nor Watt are new to the automotive industry; consequently, both bring numerous years of experience to the table, as well as unique perspectives on the challenges and opportunities inherent in today’s complex global supply chain.   

Randall Anderson first joined Toyota in 1996, at the organization’s North American engineering and manufacturing headquarters in Erlanger, Kentucky. In the years that followed, Anderson’s career advanced as he pursued a path in purchasing that ultimately brought him to York Township, Michigan, where he relocated in late 2017.

Today, Anderson continues to work in purchasing as general manager for Toyota North America (TMNA) purchasing. In this capacity he is responsible for supplier relationships and supplier diversity, as well as risk management, training and a number of other areas.

In contrast to Anderson’s primarily US-based automotive experience, in 2006, Jacklyn Watt joined Ford’s Purchasing Organization based in Melbourne, Australia.  Five years later, Watt was offered a new assignment in Shanghai, China, where she relocated in early 2011 to oversee indirect purchasing commodities for the Asia Pacific region. After a decade of working overseas, Watt returned to the states in 2016, and is now Ford’s global director of supply chain sustainability.

In her current role, Watt is responsible for the development and implementation of Ford’s Supply Chain Sustainability global strategy across supplier diversity, human rights, responsible sourcing and environmental matters. In relation to her present position, Watt cites her experiences living in different regions as being particularly impactful in becoming more culturally aware, and having a deeper understanding of how different markets operate.

Watt’s unique background is just one aspect of her professional experience that will surely influence her work with AIAG. Per her own assertion, Watt hopes to bring a “different perspective” to the board. Watt explains: “Although much of my automotive career was spent outside the US, my experience includes leading teams, driving change and moving at a fast pace. I’m hoping to combine these skills with the knowledge at AIAG to deliver new benefits to AIAG member companies.”

Similarly, Anderson also hopes to bring his unique insights and expertise to the AIAG team and board of directors – primarily with regards to his experiences working with suppliers. “It’s important to make sure that we’re considering not just the carmakers and Tier Ones, but also the lower tier suppliers,” Anderson explains, noting that there is a real need to bring the voices of smaller suppliers to the table. “I know how to interact with and manage suppliers, so that’s one thing I bring to the group,” he concludes. “I intend to be active, and part of the team – so where the team needs me, I’ll be there.”

About AIAG
Created by the auto industry for the auto industry, AIAG is a not-for-profit organization with more than 35 years of experience working with OEMs, suppliers, service providers, government, and academia to collaboratively drive down costs and streamline the complexity of the supply chain by developing global standards and harmonizing business practices. There are more than 2,200 AIAG member companies, including Arctic Cat, Caterpillar, FCA — North America, Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Harley-Davidson, Honda of America Manufacturing, Nissan North America, Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America, Volkswagen Group of America, and many of their part suppliers and service providers. Learn more at www.aiag.org.