Mark Bernhard Out At Holden, Former Toyota Chief To Head Up Australian Division
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In a surprise move, Holden’s managing director and chairman, Mark Bernhard, is out. General Motors’ Australian subsidiary has brought in former Toyota Australia President Dave Buttner to succeed him.
The announcement occurred on Wednesday when Holden said Bernhard would depart GM. It’s unclear where the now-former Holden boss will go. He was the first Australian to head up the brand since 1990 and the sixth top executive since 2003. Buttner will become the seventh managing director to waltz into Holden’s revolving door of top leadership.
“Holden is where it all started for me. It has been an honor to lead Holden as we laid the foundation for a new future of this iconic Australian company,” said Bernhard.
Buttner is credited with steering Toyota through its end of Australian manufacturing phase successfully, something Holden hasn’t quite figured out yet.
Holden said the appointment of Buttner comes at a critical time when it “seeks to leverage its strongest ever vehicle portfolio to win more customers, grow sales and strengthen GM Holden for the future.” Holden has slipped considerably on the Australian sales chart since local manufacturing wrapped up last October. New vehicle launches, such as the imported ZB Commodore and Equinox, haven’t been home runs as imagined, either.
Most recently, Bernhard admitted Holden remains in poor shape since the end of manufacturing.
Buttner will officially succeed Bernhard on August 1, 2018.
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A very smart move by GM, and hopefully Mr. Buttner can right the ship, but boy does he have one hell of a job to do to get this once iconic company back on track. He will need to be able to sell ice to the eskimos.
deckchairs,
Titanic,
last one out please turn off the lights.
Another classic idiotic move by GM. They just can’t get it right no matter who steers the ship. Buttner is a closure man, he held the top job at Toyota AU once they announced they would shut up shop. Now he’s running GMH.
A revolving door doesn’t show the customers that all is well with an organization. And customers are showing their displeasure by not even walking into a Holden showroom. And they won’t go until there is something worth buying.
As a Holden enthusiast for 40 years, I can tell you every time I see a Holden drive past these days on the highway, I think how boring the badge looks, but conversely how much better the car would look with the Chevy Badge on it. The Holden Badge is beyond bland its just so boring it nearly makes me ill to look at. The new Holden Commodore is made for villages in Europe not dusty outback country towns in Australia, we’re a pioneering nation like Canada & the U.S.
To show how astonishingly how out of touch Senior Holden Executives, watch the following video on youtube, which had accumulated an amazing 3 Million views in just 3 weeks.
It’s about Big Aussie Cars & V8s.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JRn0_U7M5gQ
We ‘re not Europeans nor Brits, we are Aussies & the Chevrolet Badge would be a welcome change.