Methode Electronics, Inc. announced that Avi Avula has been appointed as Methode's new Chief Executive Officer (CEO), starting on January 29, 2024. Mr. Avula's appointment follows the previously announced retirement of Donald W. Duda, President and CEO. Mr. Duda will work with Mr. Avula through a three-month transition period, after which Mr. Duda will serve as a strategic consultant for a nine-month period.

Mr. Avula brings 17 years of electronics industry leadership experience to Methode, and currently serves as the Vice President of Strategy for DuPont?s Electronics & Industrial (E&I) business. In this role, Mr. Avula leads strategy, growth, new business development and global commercial excellence for E&I, which reported approximately $6 billion in 2022 revenue. Mr. Avula previously led the Interconnect Solutions line of business within E&I, where he was deeply involved in key strategic initiatives including the integration of DuPont Circuit and Packaging Materials and Dow Interconnect Technologies during the merger between Dow and DuPont.

Avi Avula, age 50, joins Methode from DuPont, where he is currently the Vice President of Strategy for DuPont?s Electronics & Industrial (E&I) business with additional responsibility for sustainability and business excellence. Before his current role, he was the Global Vice President & General Manager for Interconnect Solutions (ICS), a line of business within DuPont E&I focused on delivering total solutions and systems design to address signal integrity and power transmission challenges. During his tenure in ICS, Mr. Avula led the integration of DuPont Circuit and Packaging Materials and Dow Interconnect Technologies during the merger between Dow and DuPont.

He also led the $2.3 billion Laird Performance Materials acquisition, successfully integrated Laird, and tripled ICS? revenue to $1.8 billion. Mr. Avula also made an impact around the world, including setting up E&I?s regional headquarters in Singapore and acting as Singapore country leader.

Previously in DuPont, he served as the Global Business Director for Displays, where he led the OLED and flexible display business. Prior to DuPont, Mr. Avula held numerous roles with Applied Materials, most recently in Singapore where he led their business and technology development for advanced packaging. His earlier roles at Applied Materials?

headquarters included serving as Assistant to the Chairman and CEO on strategic, operational and governance matters. Mr. Avula?s additional experience includes serving as a management consultant at Booz & Co. where he worked on business, operations and product strategies across the automotive, pharmaceuticals and consumer products sectors in the U.S. and Europe.

He has also worked extensively in the semiconductor fabrication, electronics packaging and assembly industries in the U.S. and Asia. Mr. Avula has an MBA from the University of Chicago, and an MS in Industrial Engineering from Texas A&M University. He earned his bachelor?s degree in mechanical engineering, specializing in composite materials, in India.