On March 12, General Motors (GM) announced changes in its top management. In the announcement, Jens Peter “JP” Clausen, a former executive with Tesla, Lego, and Google, will succeed Gerald Johnson as executive vice president of Global Manufacturing and Sustainability.
Johnson’s departure, after 44 years, signifies the end of an era at GM. Johnson’s unwavering commitment to manufacturing and labor relations excellence was evident throughout his career. His leadership and dedication are demonstrated by his journey from joining the Fisher Body Plant in Ohio to spearheading GM’s COVID-19 emergency response. Under his direction, GM experienced a profound culture shift focusing on waste reduction, leadership, process discipline, and continuous improvement. Johnson’s influence went beyond the organization’s boundaries as he promoted initiatives about diversity, equity, and inclusion that had a long-lasting effect on communities, consumers, and staff.
Nevertheless, GM also announced the more unexpected departure of Mike Abbott, executive vice president of software and services.
In May, Abbott joined GM as an executive after leaving Apple. However, the automaker announced that he would be leaving due to health-related reasons. Abbott said he has been “facing some serious health issues involving my heart that have not improved” since late last year in a LinkedIn post. “I need to prioritize my recovery and be with my family in the hopes that my health will improve over time,” he said, adding that he was a husband and father.
Baris Cetinok, the vice president of products for software and services, will temporarily replace Abbott while the automaker conducts a search. In September, Cetinok—another ex-Apple executive—began working for GM.
Although the company stated Johnson would stay with the automaker for the remainder of the year, the changes will take effect on April 2.
