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Michael J. Baunton is vice president of the Europe, Africa and Middle East (EAME) Operations Division of Caterpillar Inc. based in Geneva, Switzerland. He has responsibility for manufacturing operations and global businesses including Caterpillar Belgium SA, Caterpillar France SA, Caterpillar Peterlee, European Fabrications, Global Paving and Global Work Tools.
Baunton began his career in 1969 at U.K.-based Automotive Products. He joined Quinton Hazell, a U.K.-based automotive components company, in 1977 and held numerous positions through 1985, including manufacturing director of Quinton Hazell Automotive. He joined Tenneco Inc. in 1985 as managing director of Monroe Australia, and then served as managing director of Monroe Europe, in Belgium, from 1987-1993. He was president of Walker Manufacturing, a division of Tenneco Inc., in Racine, Wisconsin, from 1993-1995. He joined Perkins Group Ltd. as group chief executive in 1995 and became president of Perkins Engines Company in March 1998, following Caterpillar's acquisition of Perkins. He was elected a Caterpillar vice president in November 1998.
He has a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Coventry University in Coventry, U.K., a master's degree in business analysis from Lancaster University in the U.K., and is a Fellow of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. He was awarded the honor of CBE for his services to the UK automotive and engineering industries in 2004.
He is Chairman of Industry Forum in the UK, an industry and government partnership that provides manufacturing improvement services. He is also a member of the Executive Committee of The Amcham EU. | 