Sometimes leadership isn’t about being a visionary. Sometimes leadership is about assembling a team of experts and breaking down the barriers to their success. This is the belief of John Kett, CEO and President of IAA.
John joined Patrick on this week’s episode of Innovation and the Digital Enterprise for a discussion about the future of the car sales industry, John’s philosophy of leadership, and why he believes reading about historical and political figures can help you become a better leader. Take a listen to the episode.
- (01:47) - Driving business forward at IAA
- (02:57) - Leveraging technology
- (06:04) - Footprint in emerging markets
- (10:27) - Specialty vehicles
- (11:28) - AuctionNow
- (14:31) - De-risk the transaction
- (16:37) - Who are the buyers?
- (18:29) - Increasing miles driven
- (21:19) - Setting a vision
- (22:42) - Unique data set
- (25:08) - Electrification
- (28:16) - The Advantage
- (30:22) - American Icon
John W. Kett is CEO and president of IAA, Inc., the leading multi-channel vehicle marketplace (NYSE: IAA). John became CEO in May 2014, after serving in a variety of executive roles at IAA for nearly 20 years. In June 2019, he led IAA through the process of becoming an independent public company reaching over $1.3 billion in annual revenue and selling more than 2.5 million vehicles. IAA is a global leader in technology innovation, analytics and operational execution.
Formerly with IAA, John served as senior vice president of planning and business development, CFO and president. He sits on the national board of directors for SkillsUSA and the Northern Illinois University Board of Executive Advisors. John is also an active member of the Economic Club of Chicago, Alliance of Chief Executives, and in 2020 became a Trustee of the Committee for Economic Development (CED).
Prior to IAA, John held senior financial roles at Central Steel and Wire Co., and Safelite Glass Corporation, Newark Electronics and Deloitte LLP. He received a master’s degree from Northwestern University and a B.S. from Northern Illinois University.
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Podcast episode production by Dante32.
