According to media reports, General Motors recently announced the appointment of Marissa West, head of its Canadian operations, as the President of North America, following the retirement of Doug Parks, the head of product development. The company has also promoted several other executives to new positions.
West will succeed Rory Harvey, who will take on the newly established role of Global Chief Market Officer. General Motors stated that the 56-year-old Harvey will collaborate with regional teams from around the world to develop product, software, and technology strategies. He began his role as President of General Motors North America in June of this year.
West, 42, has been serving as the President and Managing Director of General Motors Canada since April 2022. In her approximately 20 years with General Motors, she has held various engineering roles, including Executive Chief Engineer for General Motors Global Medium Duty Trucks and Medium Duty Commercial Trucks. Additionally, she served as the Chief Engineer for the 2020 GMC Sierra HD and Chevrolet Silverado HD.
Doug Parks, the Executive Vice President responsible for global product development, procurement, and the supply chain, will retire after nearly 40 years with the company. Parks, 62, joined General Motors in 1984 and has led various teams over the years, including those focused on autonomous driving, electric vehicle projects, and the development of General Motors' Ultium electric vehicle battery architecture.
Ken Morris, 57, the Vice President of Global Vehicle and Propulsion Teams, will become the Senior Vice President responsible for product programs, product safety, and motorsports.
Josh Tavel, the Vice President of Global Customer Care and Aftersales, will take on the role of Senior Vice President responsible for energy storage and power systems, research and development, and manufacturing engineering. General Motors stated that he will be tasked with advancing the company's goals in electrification and battery development.
These executive changes at General Motors are set to take effect on January 2nd next year.
