Another Holden Boss Gone

Wretched · 03-03-2010, 01:21 PM

Quote:

Alan Batey becomes fourth MD in three years to exit Holden for another position.

Holden has lost its fourth managing director and chairman in three years, with no one announced as a successor, leaving the company virtually rudderless in uncertain times.

Englishman Alan Batey served just six months in the hot seat since his appointment in September last year, now poached by GM in Detroit to be Chevrolet's vice president of sales and service.

Mr Batey said Holden’s Chief Financial Officer, Mark Bernhard, "supported by Holden’s senior leadership team, will ensure continuity and the seamless execution of the company’s strategic plan until a replacement is named".

The announcement is somewhat of a surprise: as recently as December, a Holden spokesman told Fairfax that rumours Mr Batey would soon leave the Australian car maker were ''completely and utterly false''.

The top job at Holden has proved to be a short term proposition of recent times.

Mr Batey was appointed after his predecessor, Mark Reuss, returned to the US to take up senior positions in the midst of GM's financial meltdown last year after just 18 months in Holden's top job.

Mr Reuss replaced Chris Gubbey, who stayed just seven months in the top job, before taking up a position in GM Russia.

Mr Gubbey succeeded Denny Mooney, who returned to GM in the US in August 2007, before retiring last year.

''A replacement for Batey will be named at a later date,'' Mr Reuss said in a statement from the US Holden has called a press conference at 12.30pm today to explain the move.

At Holden before being elevated to the top position, Mr Batey was executive director of sales and marketing. He masterminded the tactic of ''ambush marketing'' by arranging a giant airship with a video screen on its flanks — unofficially dubbed the ''Holdenberg'' — to fly over major sporting events to promote the then new VE Commodore, upsetting events' official sponsors.

With so many ex-Holden chief taking up senior positions in the GM empire, speculation is rife the outgoing Mitsubishi Australia chairman and chief executive Rob McEniry, might be heading back to GM, too.

Mr McEniry, who served at GM for decades, announced last month he was leaving Mitsubishi at the end of March ''to pursue other business interests''. Are those ''interests'' at GM?

"Mr McEniry is leaving and going on to another thing, but assures us that it's not at GM, a spokeswoman for Mitsubishi Australia said. "He hasn't been approached."

http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-new...0303-phld.html

**Luke Plaizier** · 03-03-2010, 01:30 PM

McEniry switching back to Holden would be a stroke of genius really. In the Ford camp recent history has shown that things improve with parochial leadership.

Lukeyson

**TUF_302** · 03-03-2010, 06:34 PM

Another one down, another one down, another one bites the dust!! lol!!

phillyc · 03-03-2010, 06:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wretched

http://theage.drive.com.au/motor-new...0303-phld.html

4 different bosses in 3 years. Terrible effort. Maybe they don't want to be the GMH GM when the manufacturing arm gets closed...

**Luke Plaizier** · 03-03-2010, 06:44 PM

Hmm. Mass export of GMH people to the US. Rumours of McEniry taking over.

Could GM be bailing it's best people out of GMH and making moves to shut down the aussie outpost?

Lukeyson

XR8putts · 03-03-2010, 06:48 PM

It does make you wonder.

Deco28 · 03-03-2010, 07:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Luke Plaizier

Hmm. Mass export of GMH people to the US. Rumours of McEniry taking over.

Could GM be bailing it's best people out of GMH and making moves to shut down the aussie outpost?

Lukeyson

No. I really doubt that.

Australia has turned into a bit of an engineering hub for GM.

cosmo20btt · 03-03-2010, 07:30 PM

The constant chopping and changing of bosses is usually a sign of not good things to come in the future.

phillyc · 03-03-2010, 07:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cosmo20btt

The constant chopping and changing of bosses is usually a sign of not good things to come in the future.

Almost inevitably it leads to delays with products too.

BlueOvalPrint · 04-03-2010, 08:12 AM

New boss should be a Korean, he'd know the current Holden product range inside out...

The G6ET Spot · 04-03-2010, 04:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueOvalPrint

New boss should be a Korean, he'd know the current Holden product range inside out...

Chilliman · 04-03-2010, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueOvalPrint

New boss should be a Korean, he'd know the current Holden product range inside out...

Now that's signature worthy

**cs123** · 04-03-2010, 04:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlueOvalPrint

New boss should be a Korean, he'd know the current Holden product range inside out...

Ha, well done

Chilliman · 04-03-2010, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deco28

No. I really doubt that.

Australia has turned into a bit of an engineering hub for GM.

An engineering centre isn't necessarily a manufacturing centre. In a globalised market place the pressure is on to shift manufacturing to the area with the cheapest labour and tax regime (i.e. Korea for Holden & Thailand for Ford in the Asian region). The Aussie operations could well end up as Engineering centres for thier American masters, designing and developing cars downunder that are manufactured in Asia.

irlewy86 · 04-03-2010, 05:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Deco28

No. I really doubt that.

Australia has turned into a bit of an engineering hub for GM.

Last time I checked they were a RWD engineering centre. And GM cancelled RWD programs (except of course for Caddy). Zeta will eventually be replaced by Super Epislon II (which will be produced in other markets including asia) and the Alloytec can also be sent overseas if needed.

Makes good sense to sell of such a complete little unit like Holden (at the end of Zeta's life) than trying to breakup such integral units like Opel or Saab.