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Getting To Know General Motors CEO Dan Akerson
by Wilson Nunnari
Posted September 3rd, 2010 at 5:33 pm
This is the week when Dan Akerson officially takes the helm as CEO of General Motors, replacing Ed Whitacre. In hindsight, the timing was fairly predictable, although not many expected it. Whitacre was never intended to lead The General’s charge for the indefinite future, as his task was to restore the company back to profitability and, given the past two quarterly earnings, he has succeeded.

The GM board of directors, on which Akerson has served since July 2009, knew they would need to officially reveal the next CEO. The job required somebody who could successfully market the company to potential investors when it was time for the all-important Initial Public Offering (IPO), something Akerson is more than capable of: he has the attributes that should sit well with the wealthy crowd, given that they didn’t watch their previous shares of GM vaporize through bankruptcy.

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Executive Shuffle: Whitacre Out, Daniel Akerson In As GM CEO Starting September 1st
by Manoli Katakis
Posted August 12th, 2010 at 1:51 pm
If the title of this heavy and somewhat left-field news article caused you to spit out your Mountain Dew, coffee, or whatever you prefer to drink at this hour, don’t worry. You’re not the only one. When General Motors held a conference call to discuss its second quarter earnings, we only expected to report on just that, and not Big Ed’s resignation just when we were starting to get comfortable with him leading The General. And no, Maximum Bob Lutz will not be the one grabbing the reins.

Effective September 1st, 2010, GM board of directors member Daniel Akerson will be filling the big shoes Whitacre is stepping out of. Whitacre will stay on as chairman until the end of 2010, at which poin Akerson will take over the position.

Akerson, 61, is a former telecommunications CEO (much like Whitacre) for the business telecommunications company XO Communications, where he served from 1999 to 2003. Since 2003, he has been the managing director for global investment firm The Carlyle Group and still holds his position today. Akerson has also lead Nextel as its CEO from 1996 to 1999 and its chairman from ’96 to 2001.

It pretty much goes without saying that Akerson is no more a car guy than Whitacre. But he has been a voice in virtually every key decision since July 2009, when GM exited bankruptcy. We’re expecting great things from Mr. Akerson! Keep reading for GM’s presser.

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Talent Drain: GM Director Of Global Battery Systems Leaves Today – Goodbye Denise Gray
by Alex Luft
Posted March 5th, 2010 at 1:04 pm
Denise Gray, Director of global battery systems engineering and 30 year GM veteran, has announced that she will leave The General for a battery startup in California.

Since 2006, Gray oversaw the testing and development of batteries going into plug-in and non plug-in versions of GM hybrids and extended-range electric vehicles (EV). She also worked with battery suppliers in examining how new cell technologies could potentially be used in future production vehicles. It was on Gray’s watch that GM produced its first lithium-ion battery pack for the Chevrolet Volt. Most recently, Gray was the strategic lead for battery development on the Volt.

Gray said that she could not disclose the name of the startup company, but did say that it is in California and that it is still running in stealth mode, so this rules out Better Place and Tesla Motors. She said that she was looking forward to building the start-up’s operation from the ground-up which is in stark contrast to her position at GM – where she focused on a single segment of a massive business. Gray’s last day at GM is today – Friday, March 5, 2010. Click past the break to read more and get the full GM Authority Take!

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