UFI Filters, a leading company in filtration and thermal management, has announced that its Chief Operating Officers – COOs – for the EMEA and Americas regions are set to swap roles. Onofrio Defina takes over from Stefano Gava as COO Americas, while the latter steps into Defina’s position as COO EMEA.

This exchange of roles between two of the company’s key managers will facilitate the further growth of UFI Filters through a process of “cross fertilisation”, designed to take full advantage of their respective experiences gained within the Group in the various different regions and contexts. This development serves as further confirmation of the Group’s deep commitment to nurturing the value of its human capital, which has always been of great importance for UFI Filters. Indeed, the company’s first Sustainability Report focused on this aspect.

Onofrio Defina, who has held the position of COO since 2018, has many years of experience in the Automotive sector, working for leading international brands. He joined UFI in 2015 as EMEA and Global Aftermarket Purchasing Director, and has grown within the Group, taking on the position of Chief Operating Officer EMEA. Defina will bring his expertise – honed whilst working in close contact with the Group’s headquarters – to his new role at the helm of Operations in the Americas. He will be closely involved in the development of the Original Equipment and Aftermarket areas of the business, including the management of the factories in Brazil and Mexico.

Stefano Gava, meanwhile, has many years of experience in the finance sector at international level, for companies in the architecture, engineering and construction sectors in China and Southeast Asia. He joined the UFI Filters Group in 2015 as Group Chief Financial Officer based in Shanghai, before assuming the role of Chief Operating Officer Americas in 2020, which saw him move to Detroit. Gava will bring his vision for Operations, which has been developed in the other Group regions, to the company’s EMEA business. This will further benefit the company’s headquarters.

Rinaldo Facchini, CEO of UFI Filters explains: “People are the strength of our Group, which is why I am proud of the career growth of our top managers. This has led them to becoming strong leaders with a global vision. Through the process of “cross fertilisation”, we want to take full advantage of the experience gained by our managers, which will benefit all employees of the UFI Filters Group.”