What does Cadillac's new global chief marketing officer, Deborah Wahl, have in common with Bob Lutz, the retired General Motors vice chairman?

Not a whole lot, it would seem. But Wahl's appointment puts her in an exclusive group of executives to complete the Detroit 3 trifecta.

Wahl did a 17-month stint as CMO of Chrysler and held several marketing and communication roles at Ford Motor Co. She also spent six years in marketing at Toyota Motor, including at Lexus.

Cadillac President Johan de Nysschen cited Wahl's "proven track record of building successful global brands" in naming her last week to replace Uwe Ellinghaus, who left at the end of last year. She'll work out of the brand's New York headquarters starting March 26.

Wahl, 55, returns to the auto industry after nine years away. She was CMO of homebuilder PulteGroup before becoming the top marketer at fast-food giant McDonald's USA. She left McDonald's 10 months ago as part of a management shake-up.

Now, she'll be selling consumers on $85,000 Escalades instead of $4 Big Macs. She arrives as Cadillac prepares to launch the XT4 crossover, its first major new product in two years.

"As a career marketer, I've seen companies make strong efforts to evolve and modernize," Wahl said in a statement provided to Automotive News. "It's never an easy charge. I've been watching Cadillac's transformation from afar and continue to be impressed with the foundational work that has been done that is fueling consumer interest and intrigue. Cadillac is an iconic, American luxury brand and I am honored to join this team and build on the incredible momentum that will restore Cadillac to its place as the leader of luxury brands."