A list of top candidates for GM's next CEO

[Oracle of Delphi]

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (AP)

Here are some top candidates for the next CEO of General Motors Co., according to auto industry experts and insiders.

_ Carlos Ghosn, chief executive of Nissan Motor Co.

_ Roger Penske, CEO of auto dealership chain Penske Automotive Group Inc.

_ John Krafcik, CEO of Hyundai Motor America

_ Joe Hinrichs, Ford Motor CO. group vice president and president of Asia Pacific and Africa

_ Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president of global product development

_ Jim Farley, Ford group vice president of global marketing and Canada, Mexico and South America

_ Mark Fields, Ford executive vice president and president of the Americas.

_ Mike Jackson, CEO of dealership chain AutoNation Inc.

_ Robert W. Lane, chairman of Deer & Co.

_ Jim Owens, CEO of Caterpillar Inc.

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[FUTURE_OF_GM]

By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS (AP)

Here are some top candidates for the next CEO of General Motors Co., according to auto industry experts and insiders.

_ Carlos Ghosn, chief executive of Nissan Motor Co.

Meh... I'm not a big believer in Ghosn. He's done a great job with Nissan, but GM isn't Nissan and it doesn't need to try to be Nissan either.

_ Roger Penske, CEO of auto dealership chain Penske Automotive Group Inc.

I would LOVE to see Penske take the reigns! He's very good at reviving companies.

_ Jim Farley, Ford group vice president of global marketing and Canada, Mexico and South America

To me, Farley is still too unproven. He started Scion (which wasn't hard to do, after all, he had a TOYOTA budget and a public that already adored the company) And so far, he hasn't impressed me at Ford.

_ Mark Fields, Ford executive vice president and president of the Americas.

We might be talking now... But I'm willing to bet that he won't leave Ford.

I really hope we get some new blood in there.

I DO NOT think Whitacre is any better than Fritz. We need YOUNG, NEW talent.

[Justin Bimmer]

I don't know very much about the Hyundai guy, but as good as Hyundai is doing right now, I should look him up.

I hope Whitacre can get some relief on the salary issue.

Also, who would be some of the people inside GM would could take the reigns?

[Camino LS6]

Penske...

Hmm, that could be interesting.

[Z-06]

No Ghosn please.

Lane and Owen are fantastic and truly worthy.

[Justin Bimmer]

No way Penske is going to do it.

Too much invested in his other businesses.

Besides he messed up the Saturn deal.

AND.... he owns lots of dealerships, for instance, the Honda dealer by my town.

No go.

No Ghosn please.

Lane and Owen are fantastic and truly worthy.

Why do you like them? Aren't both of their companies hemorrhaging money right now?

[Z-06]

No way Penske is going to do it.

Too much invested in his other businesses.

Besides he messed up the Saturn deal.

AND.... he owns lots of dealerships, for instance, the Honda dealer by my town.

No go.

Why do you like them? Aren't both of their companies hemorrhaging money right now?

Most of the hemorrhage is because of the construction industry and agricultural business being down, which takes bulk of their business. You should see the level of development and technology gone into the respective companies with the effort of slashing costs under these guys. They are good decision makers and have astute knowledge of political, social and economic dynamics.

[fightingbee]

Deere and Co. did very well with Lane as CEO, far fewer issues to deal with there though.

[Drew Dowdell]

Much easier to run a company when you have an adoring fanbase that isn't trying to throw everything you do under the mower deck. *cough*SMK*cough*

[Camino LS6]

Penske is unique in this list in a number of ways. It would certainly be a controversial choice, but it could be read as bold.

[Justin Bimmer]

Penske is unique in this list in a number of ways. It would certainly be a controversial choice, but it could be read as bold.

Although very true, I don't think GM is going to let the guy that blew up Saturn run the company.

[Camino LS6]

It would raise eyebrows.

Still, interesting possibilities there.

[regfootball]

no Ghosn, we don't need that attitude.

I don't think Penske would or should. especially after the Saturn debacle.

the deere or cat guys might be good, but their businesses are not as vastly global as the car industry.

The Ford guys I don't think will, they will want their shot at Ford jobs. And some of them don't have the chops yet.

I think Whitacre should just be a defacto boss until the IPO at a minimum, and give some extra load to Lutz to help. In that interim time of a year to two, they should find and groom successor candidates. Lets not make fast decisions here. I have no issues plucking someone from another auto company, outside the US even. I just think they really need to think future, think globally, think a little outside the box, and try for a long term selection.

The important thing for the next two years is to get the new product in place to sell like nuts when the buying boom comes around again. Now is the time to make market share gains, and really expend on that when the boom hits.

The other thing that may not hurt is to get someone in there who is skilled in union matters. Even though GM now has the parasitic union owning part of the company, it would be nice if they could shed them more and more over time so this whole mess doesn't happen again.

I am just wondering why PCS / OOD was not on that short list........

is Ron Zarella available?

Edited December 3, 2009 by regfootball

[Justin Bimmer]

Ron Zarella?

You are kidding I hope. . .

[SAmadei]

Jim Wangers is still around. ;-)

[alwazir]

+ 1 For Carlos Ghosn

[regfootball]

Ron Zarella?

You are kidding I hope. . .

i needed to take advantage of the punchline opportunity.

[hyperv6]

I would love to see Roger but would be shock to see him take this Job. Now if he were to replace Ed??????

I have a hunch John Krafcik would be their choice. He is a MIT engineer and has a back ground with Ford and NUMMI. John also speak with the tone that many want to hear of restraint while he continues to build one of the fastest growing companies and improved. I would be shocked if he left Hyundia. Honda and Toyota are afraid of Hyundia should say a lot.

Here is what John has said in Chicago in 09.

Hyundai America CEO John Krafcik delivered a keynote address at the opening of the Chicago Auto Show media preview where he called on the industry to dramatically change the way it does business. According to Krafcik, for decades, extravagance has been the name of the game in the car biz – just as it has been in most of corporate America. In the past six months, however, things have started to change, with automakers cutting back on the overblown productions at auto show press conferences and in many cases eliminated such conferences altogether. But Krafcik doesn't think the swing has gone far enough.

That's just one small part of the problem, though. Krafcik acknowledged that the industry as a whole is seen as slow and unresponsive as well as wasteful. He called on voluntary limits to executive compensation that are tied to some multiple of what the average worker gets paid. "What if our industry was the first to exercise a more inclusive form of capitalism that voluntarily restrained executive compensation to a reasonable multiple of average employee salary? And what if our industry adopted a uniform code of conduct regarding gifts, meals and business entertainment?"

Krakcik wants his industry to be more modest and humble. Instead of fighting everything that needs to be done, he believes the auto industry must take the lead in re-shaping corporate America.

Who ever they get needs to work well with Bob! That will be key from here forward.

[the_yellow_dart]

GM doesn't need to be Nissan, no... but I don't think that's what he'll do. I vote Ghosn

[Camino LS6]

Seems somewhat early to be "voting".

[PONTIAC06]

Seems somewhat early to be "voting".

+1

Also, it seems to me that GM should take their time on this one and pick someone that can lead the company successfully and meet their goals w/o cheapening the new products, etc. Some of the candidates on that list seem to be relevant picks, some don't, and some I can't make any comment on. Anyway, I just hope that the board makes a good decision when it comes time.

Edited December 3, 2009 by PONTIAC06

[Drew Dowdell]