Detroit, Mich., USA – General Motors China president Robert Socia announced he will retire after nearly four decades at the company, effective January 1, 2014.[break]
Mr. Socia was appointed president, GM China, on October 1, 2012. He has worked in every GM region around the world. He was appointed GM vice president, Global Purchasing and Supply Chain, on July 1, 2009. He had oversight of GM's global purchasing, supplier quality, logistics, order fulfillment and supply operations.
On July 1, 2007, he was appointed executive vice president of GM's Shanghai GM joint venture. In January 2004, he served as president and managing director of GM South Africa (GMSA), where he was a member of the GMSA Board of Directors and a member of GM’s Latin America, Africa and the Middle East (LAAM) Strategy Board.
In 1999, he was appointed vice president of GM Europe, Worldwide Purchasing, where he served as a member of the Management Board of Adam Opel AG and the European Strategy Board. He was chairman of GM - November 29, 2013, Detroit, Mich., USA – General Motors China president Robert Socia announced he will retire after nearly four decades at the company, effective January 1, 2014.
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Mr. Socia was appointed president, GM China, on October 1, 2012. He has worked in every GM region around the world. He was appointed GM vice president, Global Purchasing and Supply Chain, on July 1, 2009. He had oversight of GM's global purchasing, supplier quality, logistics, order fulfillment and supply operations.
On July 1, 2007, he was appointed executive vice president of GM's Shanghai GM joint venture. In January 2004, he served as president and managing director of GM South Africa (GMSA), where he was a member of the GMSA Board of Directors and a member of GM’s Latin America, Africa and the Middle East (LAAM) Strategy Board.
In 1999, he was appointed vice president of GM Europe, Worldwide Purchasing, where he served as a member of the Management Board of Adam Opel AG and the European Strategy Board. He was chairman of GM-Fiat Worldwide Purchasing from the establishment of the joint venture in 2000.
In April 1997, he served as executive director, Chemical, for GM's Worldwide Purchasing. Between 1994 and 1997, Mr. Socia gained international experience in various senior purchasing positions at GM do Brasil. In 1991, he was appointed director of Supply Management at the Buick-Oldsmobile-Cadillac Group and the Cadillac Luxury Car Division.
He began his professional career at GM's Cadillac Division in Detroit in 1975 and worked in GM's finance and materials management operations. In September 2013, Mr. Socia received the Magnolia Award from the Shanghai Municipal Government for his contributions to the economic and social development of Shanghai.
Mr. Socia earned a bachelor's degree in business from Oakland University and a master's degree in business administration from the University of Detroit Mercy.
Matthew Tsien, vice president of Planning and Program Management for GM China and GM Consolidated International Operations and Strategic Alliances for China, will succeed Mr. Socia.
In his new role, Mr. Tsien will become a member of the GM Executive Operations Committee, reporting to Akerson. A 37-year veteran of GM, Mr. Tsien has extensive experience in engineering, planning and management, both globally and locally.
He also has valuable experience leading a joint venture in China as executive vice president of the SAIC-GM-Wuling operations. Having helped negotiate the early joint ventures with SAIC, including Shanghai GM and the Pan Asia Technical Automotive Center (PATAC), he has deep insight into the company’s China operations.
Mr. Tsien began his career at Delco Electronics in 1976 in electrical engineering as a cooperative student. Between 1995 and 2000, he worked in Germany, Australia and China in technical, program management and planning roles. He was appointed executive director of vehicle systems for GM North America Product Development in 2001 and later executive director of Global Technology Engineering.
He was executive vice president of SAIC-GM-Wuling from 2009 to 2012. In his current role, which he has held since January 2012, he oversees GM’s product planning and the growth of its product lineup across the region. ■