GM Names Mike MacPhee to Lead Growth Across Key Global Markets
As General Motors (GM) advances its strategy to deliver cutting-edge vehicles and technologies to customers worldwide, the company announced a significant leadership restructuring designed to strengthen its presence in international markets. The automaker will unite three major global regions—Europe, the Middle East & Africa (EMEA), and Australia & New Zealand (ANZ)—under a single leader to accelerate growth in an increasingly dynamic automotive landscape.
Effective November 15, Mike MacPhee has been appointed President, EMEA and ANZ, reporting directly to Rory Harvey, Executive Vice President and President, GM Global Markets. In his new role, MacPhee will oversee operations and growth strategies across GM’s businesses in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand, guiding teams to deliver strong commercial performance and expand GM’s global footprint.
Driving Global Growth Through Unified Leadership
The consolidation of these key markets under one leader underscores GM’s ambition to operate more efficiently and strategically amid rapid technological change. The company aims to leverage its global vehicle portfolio and emerging technologies—particularly in electric, connected, and autonomous mobility—to strengthen its brand appeal and market competitiveness worldwide.
“Across our brands, we have our best-ever vehicle portfolio, and we’re rolling out new connectivity, autonomous, and software technologies around the world,” said Rory Harvey. “This is a critical moment for our business to ensure we are fully leveraging these opportunities to win more customers, delight them with our driving and ownership experiences, and earn their loyalty for the long term.”
MacPhee’s appointment is expected to enhance cross-regional collaboration and ensure that GM’s global operations remain agile and aligned with the company’s long-term vision for electrification and digital transformation.
Regional Leadership Structure
Reporting directly to MacPhee will be:
- Jack Uppal, President and Managing Director, GM Africa and Middle East Operations (AMEO)
- Jean-Pierre Diernaz, Acting Managing Director, GM Europe
- Jess Bala, Managing Director, GM Australia and New Zealand
Together, these regional leaders will work with MacPhee to drive GM’s strategy across diverse markets—each at a different stage of EV adoption and market development. Their collective focus will be on optimizing GM’s brand positioning, dealer networks, and customer engagement strategies while introducing next-generation vehicles that reflect GM’s commitment to innovation and sustainability.
A Proven Leader in Sales and Brand Growth
Mike MacPhee brings a strong track record of sales growth, innovation, and brand leadership to his new position. Throughout his GM career, he has demonstrated a consistent ability to elevate performance and market share in highly competitive environments.
In his most recent role, MacPhee was instrumental in propelling Chevrolet from ninth to second place in U.S. electric vehicle (EV) sales, reinforcing the brand’s competitive edge in the rapidly expanding EV segment. Under his leadership, Chevrolet achieved consecutive annual market share growth for three years, a testament to his customer-focused approach and marketing acumen.
Previously, as Marketing Director for Chevrolet Trucks, MacPhee led teams that delivered a major milestone: Chevrolet trucks surpassed the Ford F-Series in overall retail truck sales in 2022—a historic achievement that underscored Chevrolet’s strength in one of the most competitive vehicle categories in North America.
Reflecting on his new position, MacPhee expressed optimism about the opportunities ahead:
We have an incredible opportunity to get more and more people behind the wheel of a GM vehicle and to earn their trust for life,” said MacPhee. “I’m looking forward to working with our great teams and partners around the world to bring our world-class vehicles and technologies to market.
From Canada to the Global Stage
MacPhee’s journey with GM began in 2007 in Canada, where he took on multiple roles in field operations, sales, and marketing. His success in these positions led to leadership assignments overseeing sales and marketing for Buick-GMC and later for Chevrolet in the Canadian market.
His hands-on experience across multiple GM brands and his deep understanding of both dealer networks and customer needs have positioned him as a versatile leader capable of steering diverse international markets. His promotion marks a strategic move by GM to align global leadership with its focus on electrification, connectivity, and customer experience.
Strengthening the Global Team
In line with MacPhee’s promotion, GM also announced a series of leadership transitions within its North American marketing organization:
- Brad Franz, currently Global Cadillac Marketing Director, will succeed MacPhee as Director, Chevrolet Sales Operations, reporting to Scott Bell, Vice President, Global Chevrolet.
- Rich Latek, currently Buick and GMC Marketing Director, will take on the role of Global Cadillac Marketing Director, succeeding Franz.
These leadership shifts reflect GM’s broader strategy to cultivate talent with diverse experience across brands and regions, ensuring that each leader brings fresh insights to their new roles.
Aligning for the Future of Mobility
MacPhee’s appointment comes as GM intensifies its focus on transformative technologies and global market expansion. The company’s renewed emphasis on software-defined vehicles, EV adoption, and connected services is reshaping how GM engages with customers across all regions.
By combining its EMEA and ANZ operations under a single leader, GM aims to strengthen operational cohesion, improve scalability, and capitalize on synergies across markets that share similar growth trajectories. This structure enables faster decision-making, unified brand messaging, and more efficient resource allocation—all critical to competing in the evolving global automotive landscape.
As GM continues to roll out its Ultium-based electric vehicles and expand its connected ecosystem, MacPhee’s leadership will be pivotal in ensuring that the company’s next-generation technologies reach customers in every corner of the world.
A Vision for Global Customer Loyalty
MacPhee’s appointment symbolizes GM’s broader ambition to become not just a manufacturer of vehicles, but a global mobility innovator centered on customer experience and technological excellence. His mandate extends beyond sales growth to cultivating enduring relationships with customers through superior design, service, and ownership value.
With a focus on long-term loyalty, sustainable innovation, and digital transformation, GM is reinforcing its position as a global leader ready to meet the challenges—and opportunities—of the next era in mobility.
Source Link:https://news.gm.com/
