Event Details

On Nov. 5, 2021, the William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan and the Ross School of Business at the University of Michigan, in collaboration with the US-Mexico Foundation (USMF), will host a virtual roundtable to discuss further integration within the auto industry in the U.S. and Mexico. The event will bring together accomplished diplomats, industry leaders and academia to share their perspectives on trends and opportunities for players in both countries.

For decades, the U.S.-Mexico automotive supply chain has been deeply unified, collectively manufacturing around 20 percent of the world’s passenger cars and commercial vehicles. At the same time, the automotive sector is undergoing a profound transformation, fueled by technological innovations, sustainability efforts and supply chain concerns.

During the virtual roundtable, two interrelated, consecutive panel discussions will focus on these shifts and how both sides of the border can leverage them in the context of an enhanced U.S.–Mexico partnership.

• Panel 1, “U.S.-Mexico Automotive Supply Chain Resilience: Trends and Opportunities,” will put a spotlight on emerging opportunities for co-production and manufacturing of products, services and technologies, which has the potential to catalyze further economic growth in the U.S. and Mexico.
• Panel 2, “Powering Mobility: Implications of the Energy Transition,” will discuss how renewable energy sources are key to achieving climate and sustainability goals and how energy transition toward electrification could redefine cross-border business models and opportunities.

“At this time of great change in the automotive sector, further integration between businesses in the U.S. and Mexico can increase competitiveness for both economies,” said Paul Clyde, president, William Davidson Institute, and professor of business administration, University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. “As part of WDI’s mission to help formulate the tools for commercial success in low- and middle-income countries, we’re delighted to work with the Ross School of Business and USMF to facilitate this important dialogue.”

The panelists taking part in the event include:

• Gerónimo Gutiérrez, former Mexican Ambassador to the U.S.
• Anthony Earl Wayne, former U.S. Ambassador to Mexico
• Sarah Cartmell, manager of global government relations, Ford Motor Company
• Scott Adams, president eMobility, Eaton
• Mike Ramsey, vice president, analyst at Gartner
• Oscar Dominguez, President of Lear Mexico Operations
• Mónica Doger, Mexico’s Central Region Automotive Cluster (CLAUZ)

Francine Lafontaine, interim dean, Michigan Ross School of Business, and Diana E. Páez, senior director, grants & partnerships, grants management, WDI, will serve as moderators.

The “A Vision for a Stronger U.S.-Mexico Partnership: Emerging Opportunities in the Automotive Industry” virtual roundtable is free and open to the public. Register for the Nov. 5 event here or by visiting the WDI homepage at wdi.umich.edu.