LKQ Names Salvatore Abbate President and CEO
LKQ Corp. announced that its board of directors has appointed Salvatore “Sal” Abbate president and CEO, effective Dec. 15, 2026. He will succeed Justin Jude, who will leave the company effective immediately. LKQ has established an interim office of the CEO until Abbate assumes his new role. The office consists of John Mendel, board chairman, and Sue Gove, chair of LKQ’s audit committee. They will work closely with LKQ’s leadership teams and management to oversee operations during the transition.
LKQ Appoints Experienced Distribution Executive
Abbate brings more than three decades of experience leading large, complex distribution and industrial businesses. As CEO of Veritiv Corp., he led a significant transformation of the company. Its share price increased more than 13-fold during his tenure. The transformation culminated in Veritiv’s $2.6 billion sale to Clayton, Dubilier & Rice in 2023.
Before becoming CEO, Abbate served as Veritiv’s chief operating officer and chief commercial officer. Earlier, Abbate held senior leadership roles at Andersen Windows & Doors, Solutia Inc. and Armstrong World Industries. Solutia is now part of Eastman Chemical Co. His responsibilities spanned sales, marketing, distribution, logistics, manufacturing, strategy and process improvement.
Abbate Brings Operational and Supply Chain Experience
Abbate’s experience aligns with LKQ’s strategic and operational priorities. He has led high-volume, multisite distribution businesses where pricing, procurement and supply chain discipline are critical to performance. He also has led portfolio transformations focused on margin improvement and cash generation.
Abbate brings public company and international experience. He currently serves on the board of ArcBest. He holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He also holds an MBA from Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
Board Outlines Leadership Priorities
“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 is a disciplined operator and people-centered leader, who has transformed a complex distribution business, improved margins and created significant value for shareholders. Sal brings the operating rigor, commercial instincts and sense of urgency we need to sharpen execution across our businesses and unlock the full potential of LKQ. On behalf of the Board, I also want to thank Justin for his years of service and contributions to LKQ.”
“LKQ is an exceptional company, with unmatched scale, leading market positions and a deep bench of talented people,” said Abbate. “There is meaningful opportunity to improve performance, and I intend to move quickly. That starts with listening to our customers and teams, fostering a culture where our people can succeed and thrive, driving disciplined execution across every region and holding ourselves accountable for results. I’m honored to lead LKQ and look forward to working with the Board and the team to build a stronger, more profitable company.”