New leadership in Detroit promises upturns in markets, profits and per-car features.
Dramatic changes lie ahead as younger executives and women take charge of product development, including new GM chairman and CEO Mary T. Barra, new Ford president Mark Fields and more safety systems and consumer touch systems pushing hybrid and electric cars!
Retirement of GM CEO Dan Akerson coincides with sale of last of GM stock owned by the government. At the same time, GM ends its freeze on plant and product development. In his departing remarks, Akerson noted that Barra will lead a GM free of U.S. government debts and “Government Motors” bankruptcy echoes, not to mention an 18% market share that seems intractable.
Barra is highly familiar with tomorrow’s advanced auto systems, such as connective hands free driving; safety devices that alert drivers and stop vehicles, and the pressures for product equality from Chevy Cruze to Cadillac “ baby Cadillac” and diesel turbo engines.
Says The Economist’s issue of 12-15-13: “She will take the tip job in what has been traditionally been a male environment… (and is) a genuine “car guy”. “Mary is a coach and that’s the sort of management style this company needs,” said Dave Cole, son of a former president of GM, noting that a woman runs GM’s electric vehicle program.
