General Motors (NYSE: GM) today announced the following senior executive changes:
- Matt Tsien* Named Chief Technology Officer
- Craig Buchholz Named Senior Vice President, Global Communications
- Julian Blissett and Steve Kiefer Named to New or Expanded Roles
- Tony Cervone and Jon Lauckner to Retire
The new appointments are effective April 1, 2020.
Matt Tsien, currently executive vice president and president, GM China, is appointed to the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, replacing Jon Lauckner, who has elected to retire effective July 1, 2020. In his new role, Tsien will report to GM President Mark Reuss.
Matt Tsien
Tsien has led GM’s operations in China since Jan. 1, 2014. During his time in China, GM achieved unprecedented growth of business and brought in the technologies that would enable the company’s long-term growth in China, especially in electrification and connectivity. Matt Tsien bio is below*.
Craig Buchholz, currently chief communications officer, Procter & Gamble, joins GM as Senior Vice President, Global Communications, replacing Tony Cervone, who has elected to retire effective July 1, 2020. Buchholz will report to GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra.
Buchholz joins GM with extensive experience managing complex communications environments in multi-brand organizations. For the past six years, Buchholz has led P&G communications through a variety of challenging product and corporate issues. Prior to P&G, he spent 20 years in the pharmaceutical world working in both agency and corporate environments, including with Merck, Johnson & Johnson and what is now Pfizer. In those companies, he held multiple leadership positions in corporate, internal and executive communications. He holds a law degree from Drexel University and bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Public Relations from Temple University. Buchholz is also an Aspen Institute Fellow. Craig Buchholz bio
Julian Blissett, currently senior vice president, International Operations, is appointed Executive Vice President and President, GM China, succeeding Tsien. In his new role, Blissett will report to GM President Mark Reuss. Julian Blissett bio
Steve Kiefer, senior vice president and president, GM International, will continue in his current role and assume the day-to-day operations of GM’s international markets currently handled by Blissett. Kiefer will continue to report to Reuss.
“I’d like to thank Jon and Tony for their decades-long service to GM, and for the outstanding contributions they’ve made to the company,” said Barra. “They’ve both played significant roles in positioning the company for long-term success, and I wish them all the best in retirement.”
Matt Tsien*
Tsien began his professional career at Delco Electronics in 1976 as an electrical engineer, where he designed and released embedded software for automotive applications and led advanced work in navigation and telematics.
Between 1995 and 2000, Tsien worked in Australia and China in various technical, program management and planning assignments. In China, he was chief technology officer and director of Business Planning. He supported GM’s negotiations with SAIC for its early joint ventures, crafted GM China’s initial five-year business plan, and helped forge cooperation between GM and the government, industry and academic communities.
In 2001, he moved to GM North America Product Development as executive director of Vehicle Systems. Tsien joined General Motors Global Engineering in 2005 as executive director of Global Technology Engineering.
Tsien became executive vice president of SAIC-GM-Wuling, GM China’s manufacturing joint venture with SAIC and Guangxi Automobile Group (the former Wuling Motors), in 2009. He was a member of the joint venture’s Executive Committee and managed the company’s Purchasing and Supply Chain Management organization in addition to Information Technology and its Technical Development Center.
Tsien has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the General Motors Institute (now Kettering University), a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University and a master’s degree in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
In September 2017, Tsien received the Magnolia Gold Award from the Shanghai Municipal Government for his contributions to the economic and social development of Shanghai.
GM Announces Significant Male Executive Changes
General Motors (NYSE: GM) today announced the following senior executive changes:
The new appointments are effective April 1, 2020.
Matt Tsien, currently executive vice president and president, GM China, is appointed to the position of Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, replacing Jon Lauckner, who has elected to retire effective July 1, 2020. In his new role, Tsien will report to GM President Mark Reuss.
Matt Tsien
Tsien has led GM’s operations in China since Jan. 1, 2014. During his time in China, GM achieved unprecedented growth of business and brought in the technologies that would enable the company’s long-term growth in China, especially in electrification and connectivity. Matt Tsien bio is below*.
Craig Buchholz, currently chief communications officer, Procter & Gamble, joins GM as Senior Vice President, Global Communications, replacing Tony Cervone, who has elected to retire effective July 1, 2020. Buchholz will report to GM Chairman and CEO Mary Barra.
Buchholz joins GM with extensive experience managing complex communications environments in multi-brand organizations. For the past six years, Buchholz has led P&G communications through a variety of challenging product and corporate issues. Prior to P&G, he spent 20 years in the pharmaceutical world working in both agency and corporate environments, including with Merck, Johnson & Johnson and what is now Pfizer. In those companies, he held multiple leadership positions in corporate, internal and executive communications. He holds a law degree from Drexel University and bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Public Relations from Temple University. Buchholz is also an Aspen Institute Fellow. Craig Buchholz bio
Julian Blissett, currently senior vice president, International Operations, is appointed Executive Vice President and President, GM China, succeeding Tsien. In his new role, Blissett will report to GM President Mark Reuss. Julian Blissett bio
Steve Kiefer, senior vice president and president, GM International, will continue in his current role and assume the day-to-day operations of GM’s international markets currently handled by Blissett. Kiefer will continue to report to Reuss.
“I’d like to thank Jon and Tony for their decades-long service to GM, and for the outstanding contributions they’ve made to the company,” said Barra. “They’ve both played significant roles in positioning the company for long-term success, and I wish them all the best in retirement.”
Matt Tsien*
Tsien began his professional career at Delco Electronics in 1976 as an electrical engineer, where he designed and released embedded software for automotive applications and led advanced work in navigation and telematics.
Between 1995 and 2000, Tsien worked in Australia and China in various technical, program management and planning assignments. In China, he was chief technology officer and director of Business Planning. He supported GM’s negotiations with SAIC for its early joint ventures, crafted GM China’s initial five-year business plan, and helped forge cooperation between GM and the government, industry and academic communities.
In 2001, he moved to GM North America Product Development as executive director of Vehicle Systems. Tsien joined General Motors Global Engineering in 2005 as executive director of Global Technology Engineering.
Tsien became executive vice president of SAIC-GM-Wuling, GM China’s manufacturing joint venture with SAIC and Guangxi Automobile Group (the former Wuling Motors), in 2009. He was a member of the joint venture’s Executive Committee and managed the company’s Purchasing and Supply Chain Management organization in addition to Information Technology and its Technical Development Center.
Tsien has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the General Motors Institute (now Kettering University), a master’s degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University and a master’s degree in management from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
In September 2017, Tsien received the Magnolia Gold Award from the Shanghai Municipal Government for his contributions to the economic and social development of Shanghai.