GM’s China boss Kevin Wale will retire his job on October 31, GM says. His will be replaced by Bob Socia, GM’s VP of Global Purchasing and Supply Chain.
57 year old Wale “wants to eat, drink, sleep and play golf like normal people,” GM spokeswoman Lori Arpin told Reuters in Shanghai.
Wale headed GM China since 2005 and presided over tumultuous times. On his watch, GM’s China sales grew from 560,000 units in 2005 to 2.5 million units in 2011. The China business and the financial help of joint venture partner SAIC helped GM through the bad times of 2009 and 2010. China is GM’s largest market, before the U.S.
Corporate executive tired of 12 hours days and traveling for work; has the money and retires early. Meh.
+1
But lets be clear, he, “left,” not retired. Wink, wink, wink…
Don’t most normal people eat, drink, sleep, and go to work/college?
I think that was in reference to probably working 50-60 hour weeks for years.
He’s done quite well. I pity the person selected to fill his shoes.
zhuan men.
I doubt if he was forced out.
One tires of putting in excessive hours and effort, making a convoluted, broken, and disorganized system function… only to be acknowledged for just checking the box of the task. With no end in sight.
Good for him.
This is true for most of us however the vast majority don’t get the paychecks and bonuses execs do.
He’s 57. I give 10:1 odds he’s in a new job by 2013
I’m betting he’s also sick of the Chinese politics and government crap he’s had to deal with.