Alvarez & Marsal (A&M) announced the appointment of Detroit-based Brian Irwin as a Managing Director for its Automotive & Industrials Group (AIG), as well as part of the leadership group for Global AIG. Mr. Irwin’s hire demonstrates A&M’s ongoing commitment to the automotive industry and showcases the firm’s expanding capabilities for driving client value through growth and profitability.
 
Irwin, a noted industry expert, has partnered with many of the leading automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), Tier 1 suppliers and dealers across North America, Europe and Asia. He focuses on developing real world strategies for growth and transformational cost reduction actions in rapidly changing environments while advancing improvements in product development, quality, complexity reduction and large-scale cost transformations. Mr. Irwin’s recent automotive sector engagements include:

• Developing a major market entry strategy for a global OEM

• Helping a global OEM pivot their go-to-market strategy to be more digital, and funding the initiative by aggressively eliminating trapped cost in SG&A

• Leading a transformational cost reduction initiative for a global manufacturer that fueled investment for new products and growth

• Directing a strategic cost reduction initiative for a global parts manufacturer that identified savings of more than 25 percent in a range of commodities

• Delivering a best-practices component cost reduction methodology for a global OEM that identified competitive gaps in product design and manufacturing  

• Driving a network optimization and strategic cost reduction initiative in finished vehicle logistics for a global manufacturer, which delivered double digit savings

Rick Kozole, Managing Director and Global Leader of A&M’s Automotive and Industrials Group, noted Irwin’s experience partnering with automotive OEMs and aftermarket suppliers, “Brian’s deep industry expertise and ability to solve for clients’ complex, large-scale cost reduction challenges align with A&M’s operational heritage. His sector knowledge expands our ability to help clients conduct enterprise-wide transformations, in conjunction with engineering, procurement, manufacturing, quality and logistics performance improvements, focused on maximizing value.”
 
Prior to joining A&M, Irwin served as a Managing Director leading the North America Automotive and Mobility practice at Accenture, and before that he served as a Partner with A.T. Kearney. Prior to his work in consulting, Irwin worked for General Motors.
 
Irwin said, “A&M’s automotive sector commitment and expanding capabilities will help clients navigate the current landscape of supply disruptions, energy transition and economic volatility. The firm’s results-oriented approach to driving change will help clients seeking to capitalize on changing customer expectations, manage a rapid migration to electric vehicles (EV) and digitize end-to-end operations.”   
 
Irwin earned a bachelor’s degree from Wilfrid Laurier University in Canada and an MBA with distinction from the University of Western Ontario. He is a recognized thought leader in the automotive industry and often speaks on disruptive technology and industry issues.