Jeff Richard appointed DexKo Global CFO and Derek Peabody as CFO of Dexter subsidiary

NEW YORK (June 12, 2018) — Acertitude, the executive search firm unleashing human potential globally, recruited Jeff Richard as DexKo Global’s new chief financial officer and Derek Peabody as chief financial officer of the company’s subsidiary, Dexter. A KPS Capital Partners portfolio company, DexKo Global is the leading global supplier of highly engineered running gear technology, chassis assemblies, and related components.

The two new finance leaders are critical hires for DexKo, who seeks to grow aggressively both organically and through acquisitions. Kevin O’Neill, founder and managing partner of Acertitude, led both searches, partnering closely with Fred Bentley, chief executive officer of DexKo Global.

As chief financial officer, Jeff Richard leads the global finance function for this rapidly growing global industrial manufacturer. He brings experience as a finance executive for multi-national organizations as well as private equity sponsored portfolio companies. Prior to DexKo, Jeff was the CFO of SRS Distribution, a $2 billion private equity-backed building-products company. His career also includes roles as CFO of Checkpoint Systems, CFO of Safety-Kleen, COO/CFO of Pavestone Company, CFO of Jacuzzi, Inc., and various divisional CFO roles at Tyco International.

“Jeff’s career spans a variety of roles which uniquely suit him for this time in DexKo’s life cycle. His public company and private equity-sponsored experience will serve DexKo and its sponsor well as they continue to create shareholder value,” said O’Neill. “Jeff is smart and agile, which make him a great fit for a company going through such a large transformation.”

As Dexter CFO, Derek Peabody leads the company’s finance function to support the growth and evolution of the business. He has extensive experience in manufacturing, operational, and corporate finance. Most recently, Derek was vice president and group controller for the Engineered Products and Solutions (EP&S) segment at Arconic Inc., a global leader in multi-material, precision-engineered products and solutions. Prior to Arconic splitting from Alcoa, he was vice president, finance and group controller for Alcoa, before which he progressed through various financial leadership roles there. He spent his earlier career in finance roles for Robert Bosch, Borg Warner Automotive, and Sloan Construction Company.

“Driving a company toward an aggressive growth plan and creating shareholder value requires not only strategic leadership, but hands-on execution. Derek is a perfect fit in that regard,” said O’Neill. “He is an operationally-focused finance executive who rolls up his sleeves and creates rigor around process while providing high-level financial insights that leadership can use to run the business.”

O’Neill added, “We’re incredibly honored to partner with Fred and the DexKo organization on these significant financial leadership hires. We’re thrilled about the outcome and look forward to seeing them raise the business to the next level.”

# # #