GM’s Opel Group has made some executive-level arrangements, naming new VPs of Vehicle Engineering and Customer Experience. Both appointments are effective January 1st, 2015.
Charlie Klein
Charlie Klein (54) will take on the role of Vice President Vehicle Engineering, Europe, replacing Mike Ableson who is moving back to the US and will become Vice President of Global Product Planning and Program Management at General Motors. Klein is currently Executive Chief Engineer, Vans, Light Commercial Vehicles and Alliance Programs. In his new role, he will report to Ken Kelzer, Vice President, Global Vehicle Components and Subsystems and to Dr. Karl-Thomas Neumann, GM Executive Vice President and Head of the Opel Group. He will also replace Mike Ableson as a Member of the Board for Adam Opel AG.
“We welcome Charlie Klein to the Opel Group top management team. He has been in charge of successful alliance projects with Renault and PSA in recent years, and we believe he is the right person to lead the more than 6,000 engineers at the International Technical Development Center (ITDC) in Rüsselsheim”, said Opel chief Dr. Neumann. “At the same time, I would like to thank Mike Ableson who put his stamp on the engineering work here in a relatively short time and played a significant role in the ongoing Opel/Vauxhall product offensive.”
Carsten Wreth
In addition, Carsten Wreth (49) will join the Opel Group in the newly-created role of Vice President, Customer Experience Europe. Wreth comes to GM-Opel from Telefonica Global Services and will report to Peter Küspert, Vice President Sales & Aftersales and member of the Board, Opel Group.
“Carsten brings in 15 years of experience of putting the customer at the heart of everything the company does”, said Kuspert. “He will play a pivotal role in making our organization even more customer focused.”
Wreth was born in 1965 and has a degree in Business Administration and Mechanical Engineering from the University of Kaiserslautern, Germany.
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