Questions & Answers Mohamed Chakib IAC GROUP What was your first automotive job and why were you interested in the industry? I took a student job at Textron Automotive during my summer holidays. I was fascinated by the relationship between man and machines. Humans need machines to help do their jobs better and faster. Machines need humans to set them up, run them and maintain them. They need each other. This relationship will strengthen as we see smart factories start using collaborative robots that take on more tasks and work alongside people. Your greatest achievement? I'm fortunate to have had several. I have been involved in launching seven greenfield factories. A new plant is like a child. After the launch you teach the team how to walk and work together on the same objectives. Finally, once the training is complete, you let them run into the world. It makes me proud to see the plant's employees continue to succeed. I also really value the great relationships I have built over the past 18 years. I even met my wife during this professional journey. I am a very lucky man. What was your biggest failure and what did it teach you? I am a very optimistic guy. That is why I don't remember failures. I work hard to try and avoid high risks as well as utilize lessons learned. I always start by developing a Plan B. It helps me avoid making big mistakes. What is your current challenge at work? Since January 2017, I have been at IAC's first plant in Poland. More than 500 people work at this plant producing interior parts for a premium automaker. Within one year, our plant has been already been awarded with new contracts from another premium automaker. Our challenge is to prepare ourselves to handle future growth and new programs. This includes products for autonomous cars that will require more technology integration and flexible interior designs. What about the auto industry surprises you? I love how dynamic our industry is. Everyone is always striving to launch new programs and improve upon ideas. It is always about being faster, better and improving quality expectations for the sake of the consumer. 20