ABB, a leader in power and automation technologies, recently announced management changes. Chief Executive Officer Fred Kindle is leaving the company due to irreconcilable differences about how to lead the company and the Board of Directors named Chief Financial Officer Michel Demaré as interim CEO.

Fred Kindle oversaw a period of strong organic growth and a return to profitability at ABB. The Board fully supports the strategic targets announced in September 2007 and is confident in the Executive Committee’s ability to drive the strategy forward. “The Board is very thankful to Fred Kindle for driving the company to the extraordinary level of performance it achieved over the last three years,” Chairman Hubertus von Grünberg said. “He successfully streamlined and strengthened the company’s operations around the world. Under his leadership, ABB today is a leading company in respect of growth, profitability and business ethics.”

ABB North America also recently announced that Aaron Aleithe has been named vice president and general manager of Low-Voltage Drives, Automation Products. In his new role, Aleithe will be responsible for the continued growth and strategic business development of low voltage drives in the U.S. market. He also will serve as a member of the ABB Global LV Drives Business Unit team, and as a member of the North America Automation Products Division management team. Aleithe also will work closely with the Power & Control sales and channel management teams in the U.S., to ensure continued, aggressive growth in the U.S. industrial market, while extending ABB's leadership position in the U.S. HVAC market segment, reveals the company’s press release.