De Robertson Promoted to President of GPA

Global Process Automation (GPA) is proud to announce the promotion of longtime Chief Operating Officer De Robertson to the role of President. With more than two decades of experience in industrial automation, operational technology, controls, and manufacturing intelligence, De brings both deep technical expertise and a proven record of leadership to his new position.

Career Background and Leadership Path

De’s career spans both hands-on technical work and enterprise-level leadership. He began in electrical and instrumentation roles before advancing into controls engineering at Libbey Glass, Honeywell, and Graphic Packaging. There he gained experience in large-scale system conversions, open-architecture automation projects, and production leadership. Later, as part of Graphic Packaging’s corporate OT team, he helped integrate MES systems, analytics, and visualization across multiple facilities.

“Starting in 2004, we had to learn an entirely different skill set. We were no longer just controls engineers—we also had to take on IT responsibilities. That shift marked the beginning of true IT/OT convergence in our industry.”

This background prepared him to step into a leadership role at GPA, which he joined in 2012 as a senior controls engineer and project manager. At the time, GPA had fewer than 20 employees. Over the following decade, he spearheaded the creation of new business lines and departments including manufacturing intelligence, OT/ICS cybersecurity, product development, operational excellence, and community and culture. Under his guidance, GPA has grown to more than 75 employees with multiple offices across the Southeast.

A Vision for Digital Transformation

De’s long-term vision has positioned GPA as a trusted partner for manufacturers navigating digital transformation. His strategy has been to create a company capable of delivering end-to-end solutions rather than isolated services.

“We built the company in a way that positioned GPA to be the go-to partner for manufacturers pursuing digital transformation. Our capabilities span the entire journey—from automation and data collection, through OT infrastructure and secure data management, to advanced manufacturing intelligence and analytics that deliver measurable ROI.”

By combining consulting, design, implementation, and support, GPA now helps customers move from legacy systems to fully connected, data-driven environments that unlock measurable results.

Culture, Growth, and Resilience

For De, GPA’s success has always been about more than technical solutions—it has been about building a culture where people thrive. Throughout his career, he has focused on leading teams in a way that emphasizes collaboration, resilience, and shared achievement.

“It’s really hard to say there’s one individual accomplishment. This industry is more of a team sport than an individual sport.” 

He sees employee engagement as the clearest reflection of his leadership philosophy. Creating an environment where people feel included and invested in the company’s vision is, for him, the most rewarding accomplishment.

“The proudest thing is when you look at the culture and see that people enjoy coming to work. You can tell it builds on itself, where employees feel included in conversations and buy into the strategic vision of GPA.”

Looking Ahead

As President, De will focus on strengthening GPA’s maturity as an organization. Rather than chasing growth in numbers alone, his emphasis is on operational excellence, customer partnerships, and leadership in digital transformation.

“In five years, I don’t measure GPA’s success by having a larger headcount—I measure it by being a healthier company. That means streamlined processes, sustainable recurring revenue from software, stronger consulting expertise, and customers consistently realizing measurable ROI from their data.”

His goal is to ensure GPA continues to deliver value that extends beyond technology—providing manufacturers with the insights, processes, and relationships needed to thrive in a digital-first world.

Leadership Transition

This promotion also defines GPA’s leadership structure moving forward. CEO Daniel Lee will still remain in his role, focusing on customer relationships, while De assumes responsibility for day-to-day leadership across all departments and drives long-term strategy and vision.

“This transition allows the entire company to come under one structure. I am accountable for aligning the leadership team and ensuring GPA executes as one unified organization.”

With this alignment, GPA is positioned to continue delivering exceptional value to its customers while strengthening its reputation as a trusted leader in digital transformation.