Mitsubishi Motors North America (MMNA) has appointed Katherine Knight to the role of vice president and general counsel, effective November 25.
In her new position, Knight oversees all legal services and provides counsel on a broad range of legal, risk, business and operational matters for the company, including product liability, class-action litigation, regulatory affairs, labor and employment and dealer-franchise agreements.
Knight will be based at MMNA’s new US headquarters in Franklin, Tennessee when the company relocates from Cypress, California in spring 2020. She reports to Fred Diaz, MMNA’s president and CEO, and is a member of the company’s executive committee.
She most recently was vice president, general counsel and corporate secretary of USA Truck. Earlier in her career, she spent several years as an external commercial and business litigation counsel before moving in-house. She joined Dollar General Corporation in 2010 and later Nissan North America in 2016.
MMNA announced in July this year that Jorgen Weterrings had taken on the vice president and general counsel role. Weterrings joined MMNA in 2002 from Toyota Material Handling, where he served as general counsel. Before becoming general counsel at MMNA, he was assistant general counsel and director of legal affairs with the company. He replaced John McElroy, who was due to retire from MMNA at the end of July after 34 years with the company.
A spokesperson for MMNA said: ‘Katherine’s appointment was the result of Jorgen choosing not to make the move with the company to Franklin, Tennessee, as we move our operations across the country.’ Weterrings is still with the company during the transition, the spokesperson added.
‘Katherine is exactly the type of leader we are looking for as we reinvent every aspect of our business at Mitsubishi Motors,’ Diaz says in a statement. ‘With a background inside and outside the corporate world, she brings the blend of experience and passion for the craft that will both protect and promote MMNA going forward. We’re excited to have her join the team.’
Ben Maiden
Ben Maiden is the editor-at-large of Governance Intelligence, an IR Media publication, having joined the company in December 2016. He is based in New York. Ben was previously managing editor of Compliance Reporter, covering regulatory and compliance...
