LKQ Investor Relations | October 23, 2026
Antioch, Tenn. | October 23, 2026
LKQ Corporation (Nasdaq: LKQ) announced today that its Board of Directors has appointed Salvatore A. “Sal” Abbate as President and Chief Executive Officer, effective December 15, 2026. He succeeds Justin Jude, who is leaving the Company effective today.
Interim leadership
Until Mr. Abbate starts, an interim Office of the Chief Executive Officer will provide continuity. It consists of John Mendel, Chairman of the Board, and Sue Gove, Chair of the Audit Committee, who will work closely with LKQ’s leadership teams in overseeing operations.
About Sal Abbate
Mr. Abbate brings more than three decades of experience leading large, complex distribution and industrial businesses.
- Veritiv Corporation: As CEO, he led a significant transformation, with the share price rising more than 13-fold during his tenure and culminating in a $2.6 billion sale to Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in 2023. Before becoming CEO, he was Veritiv’s Chief Operating Officer and Chief Commercial Officer.
- Earlier career: Senior leadership roles at Andersen Windows & Doors, Solutia (now part of Eastman Chemical Company) and Armstrong World Industries, spanning sales, marketing, distribution, logistics, manufacturing, strategy and process improvement.
- Fit for LKQ: He has run high-volume, multi-site distribution businesses where pricing, procurement and supply chain discipline drive results, and has led portfolio transformations focused on margin improvement and cash generation.
- Other: He serves on the board of ArcBest (Nasdaq: ARCB), and holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from Georgia Tech and an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
What they said
“After a thorough search, the Board concluded that Sal is the right leader for LKQ at this moment,” said John Mendel, Chairman of the Board. He described Mr. Abbate as a disciplined operator and people-centered leader with the operating rigor, commercial instincts and urgency needed to sharpen execution across LKQ’s businesses. Mr. Mendel also thanked Justin Jude for his years of service.
Mr. Abbate said LKQ is an exceptional company with unmatched scale, leading market positions and a deep bench of talented people. “There is meaningful opportunity to improve performance, and I intend to move quickly,” he said, pointing to listening to customers and teams, building a culture where people can thrive, driving disciplined execution in every region and being accountable for results.
Alongside the announcement
The same day, LKQ released preliminary third quarter 2026 results, citing underperformance in Europe, announced it had retained Alvarez & Marsal to advise on European operations, and withdrew its full-year 2026 guidance. Full third quarter results followed on October 29.
This post contains forward-looking statements that are subject to risks and uncertainties described in LKQ’s SEC filings. Investor contact: Joseph P. Boutross, Vice President, Investor Relations, (312) 621-2793, [email protected]. Media contact: Whit Clay, Longacre Square Partners, [email protected].