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General Motors announced it hired former Tesla executive and current vice president of Google’s engineering unit, Jens Peter “JP” Clausen, to lead its global manufacturing business division. He is set to take over the head of GM Manufacturing role from Gerald Johnson.
According to CNBC, Johnson has been with General Motors for 44 years and is currently serving as the executive vice president of manufacturing and sustainability. He will retire after almost five decades.
Hiring Johnson’s Successor
GM searched for the ideal leader to succeed the retiring company veteran and finally selected Jens Peter Clausen. On Tuesday, March 12, the automotive manufacturer said that Johnson is confident in passing the baton to the ex-Tesla and Google executive.
Clausen is said to be a well-known industrial leader in the field. Moreover, his experience and expertise in global manufacturing, scaling operations, and products are relatively vast; thus, General Motors hired him as Johnson’s replacement.
Other Changes in the Management
In any case, aside from the appointment of Clausen, General Motors also announced the departure of Mike Abbott, who is serving as the company’s executive vice president of software and services. The Detroit, Michigan-based automaker said he is leaving due to health reasons.
Abbott was a former executive at Apple Inc. and only joined the company in May of last year. GM named Baris Cetinok the interim replacement while the search for a permanent leader continues.
“Gerald’s leadership, vision and relentless pursuit of excellence in manufacturing have left an indelible mark on GM,” General Motors’ chairman and chief executive officer, Mary Barra, said in a press release. "His impactful journey from joining the Fisher Body Plant in Euclid, Ohio, to his integral role in GM’s COVID-19 emergency response, is a testament to his unwavering commitment and dedication.”
She added, “We are immensely grateful for his over four decades of service and congratulate him on his well-deserved retirement.”
Meanwhile, JP Clausen will soon move to GM, and his last day of work at Google will be March 29.
Photo by: Elishia Jayye/Unsplash
