By Mathias de Rozario and Gilles Guillaume

Feb 25 (Reuters) - OPmobility on Wednesday reported 2025 margin growth and confirmed Félicie Burelle as its chief executive officer as the French car parts supplier continues to pursue a diversification strategy.

Félicie Burelle was appointed as interim CEO last November following the departure of her predecessor for personal reasons.

The group reported operating margin of 4.8% in 2025, compared with 4.2% a year earlier. It also reduced its net debt to 1.41 billion euros from 1.58 billion euros a year earlier.

OPmobility didn't provide any guidance regarding its revenue which declined to 11.54 billion euros in 2025, mainly due to negative currency effects.

"We will be able to continue to achieve synergies from two segments, which are now truly fundamental to us: the exterior solutions segment and the powertrain segment," CEO Félicie Burelle said in a call with journalists.

She added OPmobility will continue its diversification, as it tries to expand in Asia and in the United States to offset prolonged weaknesses in the European market.

The group signed an agreement with South Korean auto parts maker Hyundai Mobis 012330.KS in January for the potential combination of their lighting businesses.

Under the proposed deal, OPmobility would get a controlling stake in Hyundai Mobis' lighting division.

"This would enable us to grow in terms of lighting, since this activity generates just over a billion in revenue," Burelle said, adding she hopes to sign a deal in the middle of the year and close it at the end of 2026.

The company, which supplies the three leading U.S. carmakers, General Motors GM.N, Stellantis STLAM.MI and Ford F.N, limited the impact of tariffs from the United States to less than 10 million euros, as its business model is really localized, Burelle added.

($1 = 0.8490 euros)

(Reporting by Mathias de Rozario in Gdansk and Gilles Guillaume in Paris; Editing by Matt Scuffham)

((mathias.derozario@thomsonreuters.com))