In a move signaling renewed focus on talent and transformation, Eaton (NYSE:ETN) has appointed Kaled Awada as executive vice president and chief human resources officer, effective October 6, 2025. The announcement marks Awada’s return to the company after nearly a decade, reinforcing Eaton’s strategy of aligning people, culture, and performance as it expands its intelligent power management portfolio.
A Strategic Return
Awada will report directly to CEO Paulo Ruiz and join Eaton’s executive leadership team, overseeing the company’s global end-to-end talent strategy—from recruitment and compensation to leadership development and employee experience.
The appointment brings Awada back to familiar territory. Before holding senior HR roles at Aptiv, Tenneco, and most recently PG&E, he spent close to ten years at Eaton, rising through positions across electrical, industrial, corporate, and regional HR teams.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Kaled, a familiar name to many at our organization, back to Eaton,” said Ruiz. “His diverse HR experience, deep understanding of operations, and values-based leadership will have a meaningful impact as we continue to lead, invest, and execute for growth.”
A People-First Play for a Tech-Led Future
Eaton’s timing is strategic. The company—an intelligent power management leader operating in data center, industrial, utility, and aerospace markets—has leaned heavily into electrification and digitalization as growth drivers. That shift demands a workforce built for agility, innovation, and long-term sustainability.
Awada’s track record suggests he’s well suited for the challenge. At PG&E, he led enterprise-wide people strategy through periods of transformation, overseeing talent acquisition, labor relations, rewards, and change management. At Tenneco, he navigated large-scale workforce integrations across global automotive divisions. His background blends HR acumen with operational know-how—a combination increasingly prized in modern CHROs tasked with guiding both people and business strategy.
Why It Matters
The move underscores how human capital leadership has become central to industrial tech evolution. As automation, energy transition, and AI reshape the global workforce, HR leaders are no longer support functions—they’re architects of resilience and growth. Eaton’s decision to bring Awada back signals confidence in continuity and culture as levers for innovation.
Eaton, which reported nearly $25 billion in 2024 revenue and serves customers in over 160 countries, continues to position itself as a global player in sustainable power management. Under Ruiz and Awada’s leadership tandem, expect renewed emphasis on leadership development, employee engagement, and talent readiness—critical as Eaton scales for the next decade of electrification demand.
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Business Wire, a Berkshire Hathaway company, is the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure. Public relations, investor relations, public policy and marketing professionals rely on Business Wire for secure and accurate distribution of market-moving news and multimedia. Founded in 1961, Business Wire is a trusted source for news organizations, journalists, investment professionals and regulatory authorities, delivering news directly into editorial systems and leading online news sources via its multi-patented NX network. Business Wire’s global newsrooms are available to meet the needs of communications professionals and news media worldwide.
