NFI Announces Leadership Transition, Names John Sapp as New CEO

NFI has announced the appointment of John Sapp as its new CEO, effective from yesterday, 01 January.

Sapp will assume the role of President and CEO following the conclusion of a global search overseen by the Board’s Human Resources, Compensation and Governance Committee.

John Sapp, Incoming President and Chief Executive Officer, NFI Group

Succeeding Paul Soubry, who has now retired after 16 years in the position; Sapp joins NFI from Eaton Corporation, where he has served as President of its Aerospace division since 2023.

Previously, he served as Vice President and General Manager of Collins Aerospace, during which time he also held a number of other roles including Vice President of Commercial Aftermarket Sales and Support.

John Sapp, NFI’s Incoming President and Chief Executive Officer, said:
I am honoured to join NFI Group as President and CEO. This is an exciting opportunity to lead a dedicated team at a purpose driven company that plays a role in the lives of millions of people around the world every single day. Our focus across the business will be on enhancing the customer experience, improving operational performance, driving growth, and creating value for all stakeholders.

I appreciate the tremendous foundation laid by Paul, the leadership team, and the Board, and I am excited about where we go next.

Sapp will be based in NFI’s headquarters in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

Following his stepping down from his role; Soubry, who first joined NFI in 2009, will continue to support the company in an advisory role in order to ensure a smooth transition.

Paul Soubry said:
It has been an honour and a privilege to lead NFI over the past 16 years. Through the hard work of our incredible people, we’ve been able to grow from a domestic bus manufacturer into a global player with a 13 billion USD backlog, recognised for our innovation, customer focus and full suite of mobility solutions. While we have faced recent challenges, our team’s commitment, unwavering dedication and resilience helped us push forward, deliver for our customers and live up to our purpose.

I look forward to supporting John with the transition and wish him, all team members and the Board continued success for NFI’s next chapter.