GM's China Chief Leaves

Bertel Schmitt
by Bertel Schmitt

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.

Bertel Schmitt
Bertel Schmitt

Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.

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  • Buickman Buickman on Sep 12, 2012

    zhuan men.

  • Detroit-X Detroit-X on Sep 12, 2012

    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.

    • GS650G GS650G on Sep 13, 2012

      This is true for most of us however the vast majority don't get the paychecks and bonuses execs do.

  • Type57SC Type57SC on Sep 13, 2012

    He's 57. I give 10:1 odds he's in a new job by 2013

  • Daveainchina Daveainchina on Sep 13, 2012

    I'm betting he's also sick of the Chinese politics and government crap he's had to deal with.

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