About

Bringing over a decade of experience in the motor industry and rising up through the organisation Richard Alexander Lekitsch serves as head of the legal department at International Industria Automotiva da America do Sul, formerly named MWM, a Brazilian subsidiary of Navistar Group. Industria Automotiva da America do Sul is a Brazilian diesel engine producer used in many different commercial and non-commercial vehicles and machinery. Lekitsch has developed extensive industry knowledge, corporate legal skill and commercial acumen helping him lead the department through recent economic troubles that have affected the entire Brazilian economy. From the start of his career at the firm, Lekitsch was involved in M&A operations, and other high level corporate legal management, providing him with the confidence to handle any kind of scenario presented to him. In the last couple of years the Brazilian economy has been suffering from an economic crisis and in response to this, Lekitsch has been ‘engaged to improve cost reduction, negotiate with the external law firm’s fees reduction, and unfortunately a reduction of headcount with the improvement and optimisation of the actives. This was very important to mould me also as an executive’. While this was going on, Lekitsch also changed the mind-set of the department to be business enabling rather than blocking. He says his goal is to be ‘closer with other areas and involved in the company not only as a legal advisor but as an executive in order to contribute strategically’.