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- Drei für Opel: Dan Ammann, GM President und Vorsitzender des Opel-Aufsichtsrats, Konzernchefin Mary Barra und Opel-CEO Karl-Thomas Neumann.
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- Mit Plänen, Investitionszusagen und einem Strahlen im Adam Opel Haus: GM-Chefin Mary Barra mit Kommunikationsvorstand Johan Willems.
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- „Hi, I’m Mary“ – „Hi, my name is Heico“: Bei der Tour durch das Werk Rüsselsheim begrüßt Mary Barra den Werker Heico Leuthäuser (r.), Karl-Thomas Neumann schüttelt Anastasios Troupakis die Hand (2. v. r). Es folgt…
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- …ein entspannter Plausch mit Karen Schiemann (3. v. r), Jessica Ring und Kevin Elliott über den Joballtag.
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- Gruppenfoto mit dem Flaggschiff: Die Bosse und die Produktionsmitarbeiter heben ihre Daumen für den neuen Insignia.
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- Und weil es so schön war, gleich noch mal: mit dem Insignia OPC.
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- Opel CEO Karl-Thomas Neumann, GM CEO Mary Barra, GM President Dan Ammann neben einem Opel Laubfrosch von 1924.
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- „Lady in black“ trifft auf den Insignia County Tourer in weiß.
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- Schon während der offiziellen Pressekonferenz im Adam Opel Haus sind die Ränge voll besetzt.
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- Als zum Start des Global Employee Broadcast alle GM-Standorte weltweit ins Adam Opel Haus zugeschaltet sind, gibt es kaum noch einen freien Platz.
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- Barra und Ammann sitzen auf zwei schlichten Hockern und beantworten Fragen. Die Opelaner stellen ihre Frage per Mikrofon, alle anderen auf digitalem Weg.
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- Am Schluss der Veranstaltung überreicht Karl-Thomas Neumann (l.) dem Führungsduo aus den USA Miniatur-ADAM-Modelle.
10:00 A.M.
The mother of two is wearing a black pant suit, dark nail polish, and discreet silver jewelry. These days, an article about any number of female executives might begin like this. But what about the head of an automotive group? Since mid-January, Mary Barra has been the new boss of more than 200,000 employees working at GM worldwide. Now, just a few days after officially taking on her new role, Barra is traveling to Rüsselsheim on her first business trip abroad. It was a deliberate choice, says 52-year-old Barra. “Opel is clearly a vital part of GM and has made enormous progress over the last several years.”
10:30 A.M.
The inaugural visit begins at a place where 6,000 engineers and designers are hard at work developing the technologies for future GM vehicles – the International Technical Development Center (ITDC). Two other senior executives accompany Barra: the new GM President Dan Ammann, who will succeed Steve Girsky as Chairman of the Opel Supervisory Board, and Opel CEO Karl-Thomas Neumann. In the ITDC it soon becomes clear that Barra, whose reputation as a tech geek precedes her, really does live and breathe cars. She talks with the experts about glare-free headlights (LED matrix light) and application fields for what is known as augmented reality, a computer technology that enhances the perception of the real world with digital information. Barra tries it out on a Faro camera arm. She is impressed by the measuring and scanning system: “It achieves the same precision as static camera systems, but its application in conjunction with components is much more flexible.”
After a demonstration by vehicle developer Hermann Gross (left) and Hermann Sabotta (3rd from left), Mary Barra tries out a Faro camera arm, a new measuring and scanning system, in the ITEZ. In the background: Member of the Opel Management Board Mike Ableson (2nd from left), Karl-Thomas Neumann (2nd from right), and Dan Ammann.
11:15 A.M.
We move on to the plant. Anyone expecting a show of restraint is in for a surprise. Barra approaches the workers with a handshake. There is chatter and laughter. She fields questions together with Ammann and Neumann – about both the company and herself. Soon after that, Barra watches as production worker Mohammed Mahdi demonstrates a newly developed assembly tool: Two complex steps in the process are now combined into one. Then it is time for a group photo: The visitors, along with plant director Axel Scheiben and many of the employees, gather at the end of the assembly line around a brand spanking new, white Insignia. Say cheese! It’s over in a flash. The next stop is the lobby of the Adam Opel Building.
Production worker Mohammed Mahdi (right) demonstrates an upgraded tool for assembling shift cables. Rüsselsheim plant director Axel Scheiben (3rd from left) leads the visitors through the production halls.
12:30 P.M.
Through the bustle and the flurry of photo flashes, the hum of dozens of microphones and cameras can be heard. Journalists and hundreds of Opel employees are looking on curiously, and all five floors of the Adam Opel Building are packed. The press conference begins. “I have good news,” says Barra in her three-minute speech. “Not only will Rüsselsheim remain the production site of our flagship model, the Insignia, and not only will the Zafira Tourer roll off the assembly line starting in 2015. We will also be bringing the production of another model to this plant.” For competitive reasons, she cannot give any of the details away. “But you can be sure that this will go hand in hand with additional investments in Germany,” she said. She went on to say that Opel had already reached several milestones: an increase in market share in 2013, the successful launch of several new models with the Mokka, Adam, and Cascada, and an improved brand image. “I am very satisfied with the progress,” said Barra. Applause. Now it’s time for lunch.
2 P.M.
In the lobby, a team of works has swapped the background wall with the Opel logo for another one featuring all of the GM brands. Each of the GM locations worldwide is tuned in to the global employee broadcast, which is now beginning. Barra and Ammann are seated on two simple stools on the podium of the Adam Opel Building. The Opel employees take the microphone to ask their questions and the others send theirs over the Internet, while Opel head of communications Johan Willems moderates. What steps will be taken to strengthen the Opel brand? What is the potential of e-mobility? What is GM doing to increase car sales? Video clips of the answers can be called up on Socrates. At the end of the session, Neumann presents the two executives with miniature ADAM models, but Barra has only a brief moment to smile and wave at the audience. She has to get to the airport quickly for an important appointment in Washington the next day: Barra is among the guests invited to US President Barack Obama’s State of the Union address.
PERSONAL BIO
Mary Barra was born on 24 December 1961 and grew up near Detroit. Well before her promotion to CEO at GM, Forbes Magazine had already included her in the list of the most powerful women in the world, headed by Angela Merkel. She came in at 35, just behind Yahoo President and CEO Marissa Mayer, but ahead of the Queen of England. Barra is married to a management consultant and has two children. Her parents originally hail from Finland.
10 A.M.:
Arrival.
This is not her first visit. Barra, who was 18 when she first joined GM, knows the parent plant just as well as she knows the models and the ITEZ development center. She has been a member of the Opel Supervisory Board for two years.
10:30 A.M.:
ITEZ visit.
The qualified electrical engineer, who completed her degree at the General Motors Institute (now Kettering University), is extremely tech-savvy. Before she was appointed to the GM management team, Barra headed the Detroit-Hamtramck plant and global product development.
11:15 A.M.:
Conversations in manufacturing.
Fifty-two-year-old Barra, who was once also in charge of human resources for all of GM, is approachable and inquisitive. She is interested in the daily routine of the workers and the production challenges presented by the new Insignia. She was sharing jokes with the group before the group photo was taken with the Rüsselsheim flagship model.
12:30 P.M.:
Press conference in the Adam Opel Building.
Barra gets straight to the point: The CEO wants to put the shine back into Opel’s lightning bolt and generate profits in Europe by 2016.
2 P.M.:
Global employee broadcast.
Barra listens attentively to the employees’ questions. She tries to simplify matters and underscore personal responsibility with her answers. As the head of HR at GM, she replaced a ten-page employee dress code by a single phrase: ‘Dress appropriately.’ This move says a lot about her leadership style.