Agility and collaboration key to manufacturing transformation: Aptiv’s José Carlos Jiménez

As product lifecycles shorten and propulsion strategies diversify across global markets, suppliers face growing pressure to adapt faster and execute smarter. For José Carlos Jiménez, president of the connection systems division at Aptiv, means transforming both the company’s processes and its mindset.

“The pace of change is accelerating,” said Jiménez. “Program stability is no longer the norm, so we’re designing modular solutions and lines that can adapt quickly to customer needs without constant reinvestment.”

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This modular approach is central to Aptiv’s strategy for operational agility. By standardising tooling and introducing automation, the company reduces cost and complexity while maintaining flexibility across regions and platforms.

Equally important, Jiménez emphasised, is cross-functional collaboration.

“Manufacturing and engineering are no longer sequential — they’re connected. The design team must understand the consequences in production, and manufacturing must anticipate customer impacts. When everyone works around the same goal, we accelerate launches and improve quality.”

While digital tools and data are supporting this shift, Jiménez noted that culture and mindset remain the foundation of transformation.

“Digital tools are only support for our decisions. What truly drives change is collaboration and shared accountability.”

Looking ahead, Jiménez outlined Aptiv’s priorities for 2026: accelerate innovation, simplify and standardise execution, and develop talent capable of adapting to evolving technologies and customer demands.

“Acceleration, simplification and good execution — that’s how we stay adaptive and ahead of the curve,” he said.

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