GM Tech Executive Shakeup: Software Team Impacted

Recent Executive Departures at General Motors

A series of leadership changes are occurring within General Motors' software division. Over the last month, three key executives have departed from the automaker.

Leadership Transitions

Baris Cetinok, formerly senior vice president of software and services product management, will be leaving the company on December 12th. This information was confirmed by GM to TechCrunch, with CNBC initially reporting the news.

Prior to Cetinok, Dave Richardson, senior vice president of software and services engineering, and Barak Turovsky, head of AI, also announced their departures. Turovsky was recruited by GM in March of this year.

New Leadership Structure

Cetinok and Richardson both joined General Motors in 2023. All three departing executives possess extensive experience in the technology sector, having previously worked at companies like Apple and Google.

These changes follow the appointment of Sterling Anderson as chief product officer. Anderson’s position grants him oversight of nearly all vehicle development departments within GM.

Anderson's Role and Responsibilities

Reporting directly to GM President Mark Reuss, Anderson is responsible for leading teams focused on vehicle and manufacturing engineering, battery technology, and software and services product management.

The core objective of this role is to manage the complete lifecycle of GM’s product portfolio, encompassing hardware, software, services, and the overall user experience.

Restructuring and Integration Efforts

The executive departures are a direct result of a broader restructuring initiative at GM. This restructuring aims to eliminate departmental silos and improve the integration of software development and deployment.

The plan involves consolidating hardware and software engineering, AI capabilities, and global product teams into a single, unified organization, as outlined in statements accompanying each executive’s departure.

New Hires and Robotics Focus

Alongside the restructuring, Anderson is actively recruiting new talent. Cristian Mori, with experience at Symbiotic, Rivian, and Boston Dynamics, has been brought on board to lead robotics initiatives.

This marks the creation of a dedicated chief robotics role within GM, falling under Anderson’s organizational structure, despite the existing team of manufacturing engineers focused on automation.

AI and Autonomous Vehicle Expertise

In October, GM hired Behrad Toghi, a former Apple employee, as its AI lead. Additionally, Rashed Haq joined the company as vice president of autonomous vehicles.

Haq previously spent five years at Cruise, GM’s former self-driving vehicle subsidiary, where he served as head of AI and robotics.