Genuine Parts Company announced Sept. 9 the leadership teams and board leadership for its Automotive and Industrial businesses ahead of their planned separation into two independent, publicly traded companies.

Following the split, the Automotive business — which operates primarily as NAPA Auto Parts — will retain the Genuine Parts Company name. The Industrial business will operate as Motion.

Current GPC board member Court Carruthers was appointed CEO-elect of the future GPC, effective Sept. 8, and will become CEO upon completion of the separation. Carruthers previously led packaging distributor TricorBraun and spent 13 years at Grainger, most recently as Group President, Americas.

An 8-K filing with the SEC shows Carruthers will receive a $1 million annual base salary as CEO-elect and has a 2026 annual bonus target equal to 150% of that salary, prorated to one-third of the full-year amount. That equates to a $500,000 target bonus for 2026. Once he becomes CEO, his base salary will increase to $1.2 million and his 150% annual bonus target would equal $1.8 million.

The future GPC leadership team will comprise:

• Court Carruthers, Chief Executive Officer-elect
• Bert Nappier, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial and Operating Officer
• Jenn Hulett, Executive Vice President and Chief People Officer
• Chris Galla, Senior Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary
• Alain Masse, President, North America Automotive
• Franck Baduel, CEO, European Automotive
• Rob Cameron, Managing Director and Group CEO, Australasia

Nappier’s expanded responsibilities took effect Sept. 6. His base salary increased to $800,000, while his 2026 annual bonus target increased to 100% of salary, prorated from the appointment date.

Upon separation, Jean-Jacques Lafont, co-founder of GPC’s European operations, will become Non-Executive Chairman, with Carruthers also serving on the board.

Current GPC Chairman and CEO Will Stengel will become Motion’s Chairman and CEO upon separation. James Howe, Motion’s President since 2024, was elevated to President and COO, effective Sept. 6. Howe has spent more than 30 years with Motion. His base salary increased to $750,000, with a 2026 annual bonus target equal to 100% of salary and prorated from the appointment date.

The Motion leadership team will include:

• Will Stengel, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
• James Howe, President and Chief Operating Officer
• Howard Yu, EVP and Chief Financial Officer
• Kevin Stone, EVP and Chief Information Officer
• Billy Hamilton, EVP and Chief Human Resources Officer

Yu joins Motion after most recently serving as CFO of Ball Corp. GPC is still evaluating candidates for Motion’s board.

The companies will host separate investor days in New York City. GPC’s event is scheduled for Dec. 8, followed by Motion’s on Dec. 9.

GPC announced the planned separation in February, targeting completion during the first quarter of 2027. In July, a report surfaced that O’Reilly Automotive had submitted a $10 billion cash offer for the automotive business.

The appointments follow a strong second quarter for Motion. Industrial sales increased 7.1% year-over-year to $2.41 billion, while North America Automotive sales rose 3.8% to $2.54 billion and International Automotive sales increased 8.2% to $1.59 billion.