It’s especially tough to climb the corporate ladder while working down in your basement.
This year’s class of Automotive News Rising Stars kept advancing while having to build relationships with clients over Zoom calls. And, refreshingly, with more flexibility to focus on their personal lives, too.
They have helped keep North American automakers and suppliers running smoothly through unprecedented rockiness for the industry and in their own lives during the pandemic.
They possess the ability to adapt quickly, constantly finding innovative ways to overcome ever-changing obstacles, to serve customers virtually and to foster collaboration among co-workers they hadn’t been in the same room with for months.
Some came to the auto industry in search of a more-fulfilling second career. Several dreamed of working with cars as they grew up in other parts of the world.
Many are tasked with forging a path into the world of electrification, a popular destination these days even if their employers aren’t entirely sure how to get there.
If anyone can guide the industry down that thorny path, it’s these 25 Rising Stars.