Holden Chairman and Managing Director Alan Batey has been appointed Vice-President of Sales and Services for Chevrolet in the U.S.
Until a replacement for Mr Batey is found Mark Bernhard, Holden’s Chief Financial Officer with the support of Holden’s senior leadership team will continue with the company’s strategic plan.
“After an exceptionally difficult year last year, Holden today stands on the threshold of great things – we’ve got a robust plan in place to return to profitability, we’ve got some great product on the ground and on the way and our team is focused on growing volume and share,” Mr Batey said.
Mr Batey will be joining the GM sales team which is being assembled by Mark Reuss, former Holden Managing Director and now GM’s North American president.
Mr Batey’s GM career dates back to 1979 when he joined Vauxhall Motors in the UK as an apprentice mechanical engineer and has been Holden’s Chairman and Managing Director since September 2009. Other positions he has held within the GM company are Executive Director of Sales, Marketing and Aftersales for Holden. Vice President of Commercial Operations (Sales, Marketing and Aftersales) for GM Daewoo. He was also a member of the Holden board of directors.
“There are few companies in the world as special as Holden,” Mr Batey said.
“It’s a company with a passionate, highly skilled team that punches far above its weight on the global automotive stage. It’s a company with a fantastic history and a brilliant future.”