General Motors has decided to move forward with a new sales, service and marketing strategy that will see each of its four channels — Chevrolet, Saturn, Buick-Pontiac-GMC and Cadillac-Hummer-Saab — headed by a single executive.
According to Automotive News, the following changes will become effective June 1st:
- Chevrolet general manager Ed Peper will become North America vice president of the Chevrolet channel
- Susan Docherty, GM's current manager of the western region, will become North America vice president of GM's Buick-Pontiac-GMC channel
- Mark McNabb, who left Nissan last month, will become North America vice president of GM's premium channel –Cadillac-Hummer-Saab
- Jill Lajdziak will continue as Saturn general manager, but will gain sales responsibility
All will report to GM sales, service and marketing head, Mark LaNeve
The changes are intended to streamline GM's sales, service and marketing efforts. For example, instead of the Chevrolet field team reporting to a region manager who in turn reports to someone else, the new system will see the Chevy field team reporting directly to Peper.
The move will also help dealers to better communicate with channel heads and customer feedback will also have an easier path to GM execs.