Mary Barra, a pioneering figure in the automotive industry, stands as a beacon of leadership, innovation, and resilience. Her journey to the upper echelons of corporate America is marked by her unwavering determination and exceptional aptitude.
First published in Passions, Vol. 56, this article has been repurposed for the digital world – exclusive only on VOICE OF ASIA.
Mary Barra, the former CEO of General Motors, is very much a ‘child of GM’. A graduate of the General Motors Institute, Barra has worked for GM since the age of 18 in 1980. She quickly rose up the ranks and gained a reputation for being able to transform poorly managed divisions. In 2009, as the head of HR, she helped stem the expected outflow of talent from the company after it declared bankruptcy. And in 2011, she turned around the fortune of the struggling Global Product Development Division. Having proven herself time and time again, Barra was a logical choice when the CEO post at GM fell vacant in December 2013. And so in January 2014, she made history as the first woman to head an automobile company in the United States. During her time CEO, Barra directed GM’s move into driverless and electric-powered cars through acquisitions including Strobe, a startup in driverless technology.
