Genuine Parts Co, the Atlanta-based Fortune 500 parent of NAPA Auto Parts, has released the leadership and board teams that will run its business once it splits into two separate publicly traded companies. The company, founded in 1928 and now valued at about $20 billion, operates more than 10,800 locations across 17 countries and is aiming to complete the separation in the first quarter of 2027.
New Executives Fill Out the Org Chart
The leadership rollout, detailed by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, includes several newly appointed roles across the company's automotive and industrial sides. Genuine Parts Co named Franck Baduel as CEO of European Automotive, Alain Masse as president of North America Automotive, and Rob Cameron as managing director and group CEO for Australasia. On the corporate side, the company also appointed Chris Galla as senior vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary, Billy Hamilton as executive vice president and chief human resources officer, Jenn Hulett as executive vice president and chief people officer, Kevin Stone as executive vice president and chief information officer, and Howard Yu as executive vice president and chief financial officer.
The company also tapped Jean-Jacques Lafont as non-executive chairman, according to the same report. Genuine Parts Co has framed the coming split as a move that will produce two more agile businesses positioned for growth and new investments, per the AJC's reporting.
Executive Pay Packages Take Shape
Regulatory filings show just how much the newly named leaders stand to earn once the split closes. According to an SEC Form 8-K filing dated Tuesday, CEO-elect Court Carruthers will draw a $1,000,000 annual base salary in his elect role, rising to $1,200,000 once he becomes Chief Executive Officer at the separation's closing, alongside two $4,000,000 sign-on restricted stock unit grants. Carruthers previously served as CEO of packaging distributor TricorBraun and spent 13 years at W.W. Grainger, according to the filing.
Effective this past Sunday, the company also expanded two other executive roles. Bert Nappier was promoted to Executive Vice President, Chief Financial and Operating Officer, while Motion President James Howe was named President and Chief Operating Officer of Motion. Both officers received expanded bonus targets and future equity grants under the new structure, the trade publication reported.
Activist Pressure Behind the Breakup
The separation review traces back to a September 2025 cooperation agreement with activist investor Elliott Investment Management, which acquired a stake exceeding $1 billion in Genuine Parts Co and appointed two independent directors to push for operational improvements, according to Investing.com. Elliott partner Marc Steinberg led the engagement, which focused on unlocking shareholder value without pursuing a sale of the company.
Once complete, the split will separate the automotive and industrial businesses. Global Automotive generated more than $15 billion in revenue, while Global Industrial, branded as Motion, generated approximately $9 billion in revenue. Motion Industries itself has deep roots in the region, meaning the industrial division will become a standalone company as part of the separation.
Earnings Pressure and a Dividend Streak on the Line
The original separation announcement in February came alongside a rough patch financially. Genuine Parts Co reported a fourth-quarter 2025 GAAP net loss of $609 million, including a $742 million pension settlement charge and a $160 million First Brands-related charge. Full-year 2025 net profit dropped to $66 million, down from $904 million in 2024.
Despite that turbulence, the company kept its dividend streak alive with its 70th consecutive annual increase. Genuine Parts Co employed more than 60,000 workers worldwide.
What Comes Next
Genuine Parts Co has scheduled two separate investor days in New York City for December 8 and 9, with the automotive-focused session on the first date and the Motion industrial session the next day, according to Barchart.com. Webcast registration details are expected to be released later this year.
The transaction's remaining steps include final board approval and an SEC Form 10 registration statement becoming effective. How the company's dividend legacy will be divided between the two new entities remains an open question as the target closing date in early 2027 approaches.
