
The Man, The Mess, and The Moment: How Jim Voss Began Tenneco's Transformation
How do you take a 100-plus-year-old automotive company with 158 manufacturing sites, operations in 28 countries, more than 60,000 employees, and over 30 brands and transform it into a top-performing company?That’s the question at the heart of Tenneco’s remarkable turnaround story.In less than three years, under the leadership of CEO Jim Voss and his team, Tenneco doubled its EBITDA margins, becoming a leader within its peer group. But before the performance came the hard part: confronting a deeply entrenched command-and-control culture and reimagining how leadership works inside a legacy automotive company.In Part 1 of this two-part series, Jim shares his unconventional path to the automotive industry, his private equity background with Apollo, what he discovered when he arrived at Tenneco in 2022, and why culture became the foundation of the company's transformation.This is a conversation about leadership, trust, organizational velocity, and the courage required to challenge decades of legacy thinking.Themes Discussed in this EpisodeWhy Tenneco's turnaround began with culture.What Jim found when he walked into Tenneco in 2022Breaking away from command-and-control leadershipWhy organizational velocity is now a competitive advantageThe challenge of transforming legacy automotive organizationsHow leaders create cultures that drive executionHigh care and high accountability as a leadership modelWhy manufacturing plants should sit at the top of the organizational pyramid🎥 Watch the full episode on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/@jangriffithsautomotiveleadersThis episode is sponsored by Lockton, click here to learn moreFeatured Guest: Jim Voss, CEO at Tenneco Jim is the CEO of Tenneco, a global automotive supplier with operations spanning 28 countries and more than 60,000 employees. Before joining Tenneco in 2022, he spent more than a decade with Apollo Global Management as an operating advisor and portfolio CEO, leading complex business transformations across multiple industries. With nearly 30 years of leadership experience in industrial, chemical, and manufacturing sectors, Jim is known for driving operational excellence, building high-performance cultures, and leading large-scale turnarounds. He also serves as Chairman of Vacuumschmelze and sits on the boards of ABC Technologies and Kem One.About Your Host – Jan GriffithsJan Griffiths is the champion for culture change and the host of the Automotive Leaders Podcast. A former automotive executive with a rebellious spirit, Jan is known for challenging outdated norms and inspiring leaders to ditch command and control. She brings honesty, energy, and courage to every conversation, proving that authentic, human-centered leadership is the future of the automotive industry.Mentioned in this Episode:21 Traits of Authentic LeadershipEpisode Highlights[01:08] The turnaround everyone is talking about: Jan opens the episode by laying out the scale and complexity of Tenneco’s transformation and why this may be one of the most significant leadership turnaround stories in automotive today.[03:05] From chemicals to automotive: Jim explains his unconventional journey into the automotive industry and why, despite never working directly in a Tier One supplier before Tenneco, he had spent decades working alongside the automotive ecosystem.[04:25] The Apollo influence: Jim shares what nearly fifteen years with Apollo Global Management taught him about creating value through talent, culture, and operational excellence rather than relying on short-term cost-cutting measures.[05:25] Walking into the mess: When Jim arrived at Tenneco, he saw two realities at the same time: a company filled with great people, technology, and capability, but struggling with culture and execution.[07:34] Why culture came first: Jim discusses the command-and-control environment he inherited and explains why changing leadership behavior became the first priority in transforming the business.[09:00] Turning the pyramid upside down: Jim challenges traditional organizational thinking, arguing that manufacturing plants and distribution centers should sit at the top of the organizational hierarchy because they create the value that drives the company.[12:24] Seeing automotive through fresh eyes: As an outsider to traditional automotive leadership, Jim reflects on the industry's strengths, blind spots, and the urgent need to adapt to a faster-moving competitive environment.[15:59] The power of organizational velocity: Jim introduces one of the core principles behind Tenneco's transformation: organizational velocity. He explains why strategy, structure, and leadership competencies must work together to enable faster decision-making and execution.[17:15] Leadership for a different game: The leadership skills that created success twenty years ago are not necessarily the skills required to win today. Jim explains why organizations must honestly assess whether their leaders are equipped for the future.[18:39] A student of human behavior: Drawing on his background in psychology, sociology, and organizational development, Jim explains why understanding people is every bit as important as understanding the numbers.[20:46] High care. High accountability: Jim shares the leadership philosophy driving Tenneco's culture today: caring deeply about people while maintaining world-class standards and accountability.Top Quotes[10:10] Jim Voss: "My job isn't to score touchdowns for Tenneco. I'm a blocker and a tackler for the folks out there doing the work."[17:06] Jim Voss: "You have to have leaders that are fearless, and you have to have leaders that have the ability to make decisions without 100% of the information."[20:53] Jim Voss: "You have to care about people. You cannot be a leader if you don't."If this episode resonated, share it with a fellow automotive leader and subscribe to The Automotive Leaders Podcast, where we’re shaping the future of authentic leadership in the automotive industry.This podcast episode is also available on YouTube. Check out our YouTube channel at JangriffithsautomotiveleadersSend us your feedback or questions — email Jan at Jan@Gravitasdetroit.com.











