Daily Auto News GM Names New Head of Cadillac
Daily Auto News
Autoblog reports, “You know how Bob Lutz says that General Motors will be design-driven going forward? It looks as if he wasn’t kidding. Later today, GM will formally announce that current North American design head Brian Nesbitt will assume a new and very different role as the general manager of the Cadillac division..
Nesbitt is a designer best known for creating the Chrysler PT Cruiser — and GM’s answer to it, the Chevrolet HHR. He joined GM in 2001 as design director of GM Europe, and in 2007 became head of North American Design, according to Left Lane News.
The Wall Street Journal says, “Mr. Nesbitt, known as a youthful and charismatic leader who is closely associated with GM Vice Chairman Bob Lutz, will take over Cadillac Aug. 1, according to GM spokesman Terry Rhadigan. The move is one of several management changes GM Chief Executive Fritz Henderson will make at the beginning of the month.” The Journal also notes, “In recent years, GM’s brand chiefs typically had a background in sales and marketing. Mr. Lutz, however, was recently appointed head of GM’s marketing efforts and is looking to more closely align the disciplines of product creation and marketing at the company.”
The New York Times adds, “It has been extremely rare for designers – even top executives in design – to move into wider executive positions in the automobile industry. Tom Gale, Chrysler’s widely respected chief of design, was discussed for several years as a potential top executive, even chief executive, but never made the move.”
Cadillac has recently gained some significant creditability with its award-winning CTS sedan, and newly introduced 2010 SRX crossover. It’ll be interesting to see if the brand’s renaissance continues under Nesbitt.
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