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A sign with the General Motors Quality Mission Statement is located in the lobby of the GM Warren Tech Center in Warren, Michigan.
Rebecca Cook | Reuters
Detroit – general motors ex hired apple CEO Mike Abbott to lead a newly created software unit for the Detroit automaker.
Abbott, former vice president of engineering for Apple’s cloud services division, will join GM as executive vice president of software, As of May 22nd. He will report to General Motors CEO Mary Barra.
The newly created role for Abbott will bring together three separate functions within the company: Software Defined Vehicle and Operating Systems; information and digital technology; and the company’s digital business.
Software, specifically monetizing it, is a major focus for automakers like General Motors, as they look to recurring revenue opportunities like subscriptions to boost profits.
General Motors aims to increase profit margins and double its revenue to about $280 billion by the end of this decade. This includes significant growth in new business units and programs.
“Mike’s experience as a founder and entrepreneur coupled with his proven track record of creating and delivering some of the most compelling software-defined solutions on the market for consumers and businesses makes him an excellent fit at GM,” Barra said in a statement.
At Apple, Abbott was the chief executive officer of cloud initiatives, including iCloud and the infrastructure for services like iMessage and FaceTime. It was reported in March that planning to leave tech giant.
“I know software is the catalyst for redefining experiences for consumers and businesses like never before,” Abbott said, in a statement Tuesday.
He described the software as a “huge” opportunity for the company.
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