Engineering professionals in Automotive manufacturing
Five of the ten automotive engineers here hold manufacturing engineering titles at Ford Motor Company, General Motors, Parsan and KIRCHHOFF Automotive, and three work on body and structures at Ford, FCA Fiat Chrysler Automobiles and Martinrea International, with stamping, paint and powertrain named in their titles. Useful for decisions on new model launches, stamping and body construction, lightweight structures or powertrain production.
Professionals to explore
Adam Zarzycki
LinkedInExperience: Senior Director Manufacturing Engineering North America · KIRCHHOFF Automotive
At KIRCHHOFF Automotive, Adam Zarzycki held welding process development and planning engineer posts, under Polish titles, from 2010 to 2016, then Manufacturing Engineering Manager (2017–2024), and has been Senior Director Manufacturing Engineering North America since 2024. That path fits questions on welding and manufacturing engineering for structural parts.
Is this you? Claim your profile and get paid for calls.
Amit Patel
LinkedInExperience: Director - Manufacturing Engineering · General Motors
With Director - Manufacturing Engineering at General Motors as the title since 2019, Amit Patel also held EGM - Regional Lead, GMIO ME Vehicle Systems - Automation (2015–2019), an engineering group manager role in manufacturing engineering for automation and paint (2008–2015) and Divisional Manager - Maintenance (2000–2006) at General Motors. Patel describes 31 years in automotive manufacturing, 28 with General Motors India.
Is this you? Claim your profile and get paid for calls.
Jes Salmons
LinkedInExperience: Director of Engineering · AMG Industries LLC.
Jes Salmons has been Director of Engineering at AMG Industries LLC. since 2023 and was Corporate Engineering Manager at Falls Stamping and Welding Company (2016–2023), with tooling engineer roles at Anchor Manufacturing Group, Inc. and Atlantic Tool and Die Company (2013–2016). Salmons describes 25+ years in automotive manufacturing and tooling, a fit for questions on stamping, welding and tooling programs.
Is this you? Claim your profile and get paid for calls.
Kait Cischke
LinkedInExperience: Global Engineering Director, Exterior & Structural Systems · Ford Motor Company
Kait Cischke has been Global Engineering Director, Exterior & Structural Systems at Ford Motor Company since 2025 and was Global Chief Engineer, Structural Systems Engineering (2021–2025). Cischke's other Ford roles include Body Exterior Interior Design TVM Manager (2019–2021), Body Exterior Integration Leader, F-150 (2018–2019) and Body Exterior Engineering Business Leader (2017–2018), a fit for body exterior and structures questions.
Is this you? Claim your profile and get paid for calls.
Philippe Verbeeck
LinkedInExperience: Director Manufacturing engineering (stamping, body construction, paint, T&F) · Ford Motor Company
Stamping, body construction, paint and T&F fall under Philippe Verbeeck's title as Director Manufacturing engineering (stamping, body construction, paint, T&F) at Ford Motor Company since 2015, alongside Director New model programs Ford of Europe since 2014. Verbeeck was also operations manager (2012–2013), Stamping manager Ford of Europe (2009–2011) and Stamping and Body area manager (1987–2008) at Ford, which suits questions on stamping, paint and new model launches in a plant.
Is this you? Claim your profile and get paid for calls.
Ranvir Jalf
LinkedInExperience: Vice President Product Engineering - Light Weight Structures · Martinrea International
Chassis, structural body and energy absorbing components, including body-in-white, frames and engine cradles, fill the 14+ years Ranvir Jalf describes. Jalf has been Vice President Product Engineering - Light Weight Structures at Martinrea International since 2022 and was Executive Director Engineering there (2018–2022), with Director of Engineering roles at Shiloh Industries (2014–2018) and DEP (2013–2014), which fits lightweight structures questions.
Is this you? Claim your profile and get paid for calls.
Robert Lazarevich
LinkedInExperience: Director, Body Engineering · FCA Fiat Chrysler Automobiles
Body systems and components from concept through production launch, for all North American-engineered vehicles, are Robert Lazarevich's responsibility as Director, Body Engineering at FCA Fiat Chrysler Automobiles since 2015. Lazarevich was Senior Manager, Body-in-White (BIW) Engineering there (2010–2015), which makes for a good read on body-in-white design tradeoffs ahead of launch.
Is this you? Claim your profile and get paid for calls.
Sivaramakirushnan Jayaraman
LinkedInExperience: Director of Manufacturing Engineering · Ford Motor Company
Since 2020, Sivaramakirushnan Jayaraman has been Director of Manufacturing Engineering and Director Manufacturing Process Engineering (Vehicle & Powertrain) IAP Industrial Strategy at Ford Motor Company, and was Head of Engineering at Ford (2019–2020). Jayaraman was also General Manager Engineering at STELLANTIS INDIA PRIVATE LIMITED (2014–2019) and describes over 29 years in automotive manufacturing, a fit for vehicle and powertrain process questions.
Is this you? Claim your profile and get paid for calls.
Ulf Ruprecht
LinkedInExperience: Engineering program management and costing are in Ulf Ruprecht's title as Vice President, Engineering, Program Management & Costing · Motherson Group
Engineering program management and costing are in Ulf Ruprecht's title as Vice President, Engineering, Program Management & Costing at Motherson Group since 2026, and Ruprecht was Engineering Director at Motherson Group - PKC EUSA (2017–2026). At Lear Corporation, Ruprecht held Program Director Europe & Africa - E-Systems (2012–2017) and Managing Director Country Manager - EPMS Thailand (2010–2012), a fit for questions on engineering program management and costing.
Is this you? Claim your profile and get paid for calls.
Yavuz Demir
LinkedInExperience: Deputy Director, Powertrain Manufacturing Engineering · Parsan
Yavuz Demir has been Deputy Director, Powertrain Manufacturing Engineering at Parsan since 2026, with a freelance Lead Technical Consultant role (2025–2026) and Eskişehir Powertrain Plant Manager at Ford Otosan (2022–2024). Demir also supervised new model product launch (2012–2016) and tool and die shop management (2011–2012) at Ford Otosan and describes more than 30 years in powertrain production and plant operations.
Is this you? Claim your profile and get paid for calls.
Choose the right perspective
For plant and launch questions, Philippe Verbeeck, Amit Patel, Sivaramakirushnan Jayaraman and Yavuz Demir hold manufacturing engineering titles across stamping, paint, automation and powertrain. Body and structures questions fit Kait Cischke, Robert Lazarevich and Ranvir Jalf; Adam Zarzycki and Jes Salmons cover welding, stamping and tooling, and Ulf Ruprecht engineering program management and costing.
Questions to take into the conversation
- 01Which body-in-white or structures design decisions cause the most trouble later in stamping and body construction?
- 02How far ahead of a new model launch do manufacturing engineering teams need frozen designs to hit tooling and plant readiness dates?
- 03Where do lightweight structures save weight but add cost or quality risk on the production line?
About this directory
This is a professional research starting point based on business profile data retrieved on . Titles and companies reflect that source snapshot; roles marked former had ended by then. Check the linked profiles for current details. Inclusion does not imply Instant Expert membership or availability.