GM wants to do a China in India

ED WHITACRE CHAIRMAN & CEO, GENERAL MOTORS

   THE last couple of years have not been easy for Ann Arbor, Michigan-headquartered General Motors Corp. The once-iconic company went through a Chapter 11 bankruptcy, followed by a controversial restructuring that saw the government assume majority stake. This was followed by quicksilver top-level changes. First Rick Wagoner, the company's CEO since June 2000, stepped down in March 2009 at the request of President Obama. His successor, Fritz Henderson, lasted only till December. The new boss, Ed Whitacre, like his compatriot Alan Mullaly, CEO of fellow Detroit biggie Ford, is not an automobile man.
    Mr Whitacre, former chairman and CEO of AT&T, can take comfort from the fact that while the North American business has struggled, GM's star has been shining brightly in the east, culminating with sales in China overtaking that of the US in the first half of 2010. "We know that to remain a global leader, we have to maintain our commitment to expanding GM's presence and success in critical markets such as India and China," he told ET in an email interview from Detroit, his first to a non-American publication.
    Part of that plan is to repeat the China story in India. "Our business in China has been growing according to plan, driven by an outstanding product lineup that grows stronger with each new introduction. Our strategy in India will be to repeat that business model."