NSF Taps Auto Industry for New Chief Information and Continuous Improvement Officer

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – NSF today named L. Lesley Ma to lead its global information technology and continuous improvement efforts. Ma, a longtime automotive industry executive who most recently served as Global Chief Information Officer (CIO) for Cadillac, now serves as CIO and Continuous Improvement Officer for the global public health organization.

“While our mission to protect and improve human health around the world remains the same, the needs of our growing global organization are dynamic,” said Kevan P. Lawlor, president and CEO of NSF. “Lesley’s track record of overseeing large-scale IT organizations and enabling transformative change through continuous improvement and information technology efforts are key to our growth. I’m pleased to have an executive of Lesley Ma’s caliber on our leadership team.”

In her new role, Ma leads NSF’s information technology and continuous improvement efforts globally, including the systems and processes that power NSF’s public health services in more than 175 countries.

“In the coming years, we will continue to sharpen our focus on establishing consistent processes and governance across our core services, including consulting, auditing, testing, certification and training,” Lawlor said. “I’m confident Lesley has the experience and vision to drive process excellence, standardization and best practices in our complex global organization.”

During her career, Ma has held leadership positions at Ford Motor Co. and General Motors – driving significant IT innovation and transformational change while leading global business initiatives and large-scale system implementations. In addition to her global roles, she gained international experience while working overseas in Shanghai, where she was CIO for GM in South East Asia.

“I’ve always enjoyed working on big transformations in organizations, and with people who are bold and have big aspirations,” Ma said. “I’m excited about the possibilities at NSF and the opportunity to share my ideas and experiences with an organization doing such important public health work.”

Ma is known for fostering inclusiveness, employee engagement, continuous learning and coaching for excellence and inspiration. She holds degrees in engineering and business administration from the University of Toronto and completed the Advanced Leadership Program at Stanford Business School.

For more information, please contact Thomas Frey, APR at media@nsf.org or +1.734.214.6242. Additional information is available, including a bio of Lesley Ma.

NSF is an independent, global organization that facilitates standards development, and tests and certifies products for the food, water, health sciences and consumer goods industries to minimize adverse health effects and protect the environment. Founded in 1944, NSF is committed to protecting human health and safety worldwide. With operations in more than 175 countries, NSF is a Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization (WHO) Collaborating Center on Food Safety, Water Quality and Indoor Environment.