Dana taps Byron Foster as CEO to drive electrification, margin expansion

Foster tapped to drive Dana’s electrification and margin agenda

Dana Incorporated names Byron Foster as chief executive officer effective July 1, 2026, in a planned leadership transition that positions the company to scale electrification and improve margins across its global operations. Foster, who leads Dana’s largest business unit as senior vice president and president of Light Vehicle Systems, is centralising commercial and operational priorities to accelerate the rollout of electrified propulsion, electrodynamic systems with embedded software and controls, and integrated energy‑management solutions for original equipment manufacturers and commercial fleets. The appointment signals a shift to a commercially driven execution phase, with a focus on converting engineering platforms into higher‑margin, software‑enabled product families.

Under Foster’s stewardship of Light Vehicle Systems since 2021, the unit delivers notable sales growth and profit‑margin improvement, outcomes Dana presents as a blueprint for company‑wide performance. His background spans more than two decades in automotive components and seating at firms including Johnson Controls and Adient, and board experience at Wabtec Corporation, bringing a mix of operational, commercial and strategic skills that the board sees as suited to scale Dana’s electrification roadmap. Foster frames his mandate as building on Dana’s engineering legacy to innovate across light and commercial vehicle markets, deepen OEM relationships and expand aftermarket and service capabilities to protect recurring revenue streams.

The transition is structured to maintain continuity with existing customers and programmes while refocusing on operational efficiency and product commercialisation. Management frames the handover as enabling sustained execution of cost and margin initiatives while expanding Dana’s software, controls and thermal systems offerings that support electrified drivetrains. The company emphasises using its six‑continent footprint to support global OEM launches and commercial service networks, alongside targeted investments to accelerate clean‑energy product introductions and digital services that enhance lifetime vehicle economics.

Board continuity supports planned succession

R. Bruce McDonald, who holds the dual role of chairman and chief executive since 2024, remains as chairman of the board, providing governance continuity through the July transition and ongoing strategic oversight as Foster assumes operational leadership. McDonald describes Foster as an exceptional leader with deep expertise across operations and commercial strategy.

Company scale and product focus

Headquartered in Maumee, Ohio, Dana reports preliminary 2025 sales of $7.5 billion and employs about 28,000 people in 24 countries. The company is a global designer and manufacturer of drive and motion systems, electrodynamic technologies with software and controls, thermal and sealing solutions, and digital services that support nearly every vehicle manufacturer.