General Motors has announced that Dan Akerson will step down as chairman and CEO on Jan. 15, 2014. He will be replaced by Mary Barra, who will be the first female CEO of a major automaker.
General Motors has announced that Dan Akerson will step down as chairman and CEO on Jan. 15, 2014. He will be replaced by Mary Barra, who is currently the executive vice president, Global Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain. When Barra takes over as CEO in January she will be the first female CEO of a major automaker.
“I will leave with great satisfaction in what we have accomplished, great optimism over what is ahead and great pride that we are restoring General Motors as America’s standard bearer in the global auto industry,” Akerson said in a message to employees.
Who is Mary Barra? With 33 years of experience at GM, Barra has risen through a series of manufacturing, engineering, and senior staff positions. She is a leader in the company’s ongoing turnaround, revitalizing GM’s product development process resulting in the launch of critically acclaimed new products while delivering record product quality ratings and higher customer satisfaction.
“With an amazing portfolio of cars and trucks and the strongest financial performance in our recent history, this is an exciting time at today’s GM,” said Barra. “I’m honored to lead the best team in the business and to keep our momentum at full speed.”
Source: General Motors
