Stoneridge Inc. Hires Uwe Brandenburg as Global VP, Engineering & Innovation

What Happened

• Stoneridge, Inc. announced on Sept 23, 2026 (8-K) that it entered into an employment agreement dated Sept 17, 2026 with Uwe Brandenburg to serve as Global Vice President, Engineering & Innovation, effective November 2, 2026. He will report to CEO Natalia Noblet and will be based in Germany.
• Mr. Brandenburg brings 25+ years in automotive Tier‑1 electronics and ADAS/software‑defined vehicle technologies, most recently serving as CTO and Senior VP, Automotive & Manufacturing at DXC Technology (formerly Luxoft), and previously holding senior roles at Valeo, Continental, Autoliv and TRW. He also serves on the board of BlincVision.

Key Details

• Annual base salary: €320,000 (≈ $367,168 as of the agreement date).
• Annual incentive target: 50% of base salary; long‑term incentive target: 40% of base salary.
• One‑time special equity grant: $150,000 in time‑based Stoneridge shares, vesting ratably over 3 years; eligibility for annual long‑term equity grants thereafter.
• Perks and protections: €1,500/month auto allowance (≈ $1,721), executive severance plan (12 months salary/benefits continuation, subject to approval), and a Change in Control agreement providing 24 months’ salary/benefits continuation with a double‑trigger.

Why It Matters

• This hire strengthens Stoneridge’s engineering leadership in ADAS and software‑defined vehicle areas—an area of strategic importance for automotive suppliers.
• The compensation package mixes cash and equity, aligning Mr. Brandenburg’s incentives with shareholder interests while creating modest near‑term cash and future equity commitments for the company.
• Investors should view this as a management-level talent addition with governance protections (severance and change‑in‑control provisions) typical for senior executives; the filing discloses no related‑party transactions or family relationships requiring additional disclosure.