Axalta Coating Systems announced that Dr. Lei Qiao, vice president of technology for its Mobility business, was named one of the 100 Leading Women in the North American Auto Industry by Automotive News. The award recognizes influential female executives who make significant contributions to the automotive field.

Qiao leads Axalta’s global Mobility technology team from the company’s Global Innovation Center in Philadelphia. She previously led the R&D team and managed regional Mobility technology efforts in China. She holds a Ph.D. in materials science from the University of Pennsylvania and an executive MBA from Washington University in St. Louis.

“From Shanghai to Philadelphia, Lei has played an integral role in driving innovation across the enterprise,” said Dr. Robert Roop, senior vice president and chief technology officer at Axalta. “Her dynamic ability to blend her technical acumen with a commercial mindset has enabled her to help Axalta deliver innovative and functional products that solve our customers’ evolving challenges.”

The 2025 honorees were selected through a months-long nomination and judging process and represent leadership across engineering, manufacturing, marketing, finance and design.