GM Announces Executive Changes

In a series of management changes, two of General Motors’ highest-ranking female executives will get new titles and expanding responsibilities while two males will take leadership of the company’s purchasing and powertrain operations.

Alicia Boler-Davis, currently senior vice president for global quality and customer experience, remains a senior vice president, but will oversee GM’s global connected experience. She retains her quality and customer-relations duties while adding oversight of all connected consumer operations, including OnStar and its call centers.

Grace Lieblein, who has been vice president for global purchasing and supply chain, becomes vice president for global quality. In that role, she will focus on building better relations with suppliers to improve quality in future vehicles. Both Boler-Davis and Lieblein report to CEO Mary Barra.

Steve Kiefer, now vice president for GM’s global powertrain business, succeeds Lieblein as vice president for global purchasing and supply chain.

Dan Nicholson, currently executive director of powertrain embedded controls, will be promoted to succeed Kiefer as vice president for global powertrain.

Mary Chan, vice president of global connected consumer, has chosen to leave GM to pursue other opportunities. She will remain with the company through March 2015.

“Strong brands, top quality and an unsurpassed overall customer experience are essential ingredients to winning in the ever-competitive auto business,” Barra said in a statement. “That’s what we intend to deliver to our customers.”

This article appeared in print in the November 21st, 2014 edition of Hamodia.