As a part of our new blog series, we are excited to present to you our first Continental Engineering Services (CES) Management Interview.
We are kicking things off with our Head of CES North America, Trevor McLennan! Trevor recently joined CES in February 2021, taking over for predecessor Aruna Anand after she took on a new role within Continental Automotive. Trevor joined us from the Passive Safety & Sensorics business unit where he was the Segment Head for OSS North America.
Welcome, Trevor! 2021 has started similarly to how 2020 ended, with remote office and protocols to protect the health and safety of our team members. What has it been like transitioning into your new role during a global pandemic?
Transitioning to this new role has been a unique challenge. In the past I’ve always made it a priority to meet in person with the team as soon as possible. Of course, with the pandemic this has not been possible but fortunately Continental has a number of great tools in place that allow us to remain productive from remote office. The video conferencing capabilities within Teams have been a great way to meet with new team members and connect on a more personal level.
What have been your first impressions of Continental Engineering Services?
I have really been amazed by the flexibility and creativity the teams have in approaching their responsibilities. The culture is very exciting and dynamic with new challenges and opportunities being presented all the time. New customers, products, technologies, industries, and business models are always being considered.
With 20 years of experience at Continental, what is something that you are excited to bring to CES?
As CES enters a growth phase we will require a renewed focus on strategy, efficiency and leadership. I bring over 20 years of experience in strategy, sales and leadership to the team that will build upon the engineering excellence already in place.
What vision do you have for the culture of CES North America?
CES North America has achieved so much and already has an outstanding culture defined by Trust, Teamwork, Dedication, Flexibility and Family. Our vision is to grow the team while maintaining the key qualities and characteristics that have made us so successful.
Where has been your favorite place to travel and why?
I really enjoy travelling with my family and one of our favorite spots is the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee. It’s a national park with beautiful scenery, diverse wildlife and miles of challenging hiking trails.
In your personal time, what do you like to do?
In my personal time I like to golf, watch scary movies with my daughter and watch my boys play hockey.
Thank you for checking out our very first CES Management Interview. Stay tuned for the next interview!
