APC Parent Company Schneider Electric Gets New North American CEO

Schneider Electric, parent company of data center power and cooling infrastructure developer APC, this week appointed Annette Clayton, a five-year veteran of the company, as president and CEO of its North American operations.

Clayton reports to Jean-Pascal Tricoire, chairman and CEO of Rueil-Malmaison, France-based Schneider Electric. She is taking the North American reigns from Laurent Vernerey, who led the North America region for the past three years and has ended a 30-year career with the company.

Before her new role, Clayton served as Schneider Electric's chief supply chain officer. Before joining Schneider Electric, she spent five years as vice president of global operations at Dell, as well as 23 years at General Motors.

[Related: The Inside Story Of How APC Lost A Channel Champions Crown And Regained Its Channel Mojo]

North America is the largest of Schneider Electric's four operating regions. As president and CEO, Clayton is responsible for driving the business strategy and execution of four business units and a services division, including the IT division. She is also continuing her role as the group chief supply chain officer and will remain a member of Schneider Electric’s executive committee.

Schneider Electric acquired APC in 2007.

APC by Schneider Electric has a long history in the channel.

The company had won the coveted title of CRN Channel Champion in the Power Protection and Management category, as determined by an annual survey of solution providers by CRN, for the first 20 years of the award. However, in 2014, archrival Eaton beat the company to take home top honors in the category.

That loss spurred APC to rethink its approach to the channel, and it succeeded in taking back the honor in 2015.