Cadillac unexpectedly has a new boss, with former head Johan de Nysschen “leaving the company effective immediately.”
No details were released regarding de Nysschen’s departure, who joined Cadillac in 2014 after a short stint at Infiniti, so its not known if he left of his volition or was forced to walk the plank, though the choice of words within the announcement point toward the latter.
“We appreciate Johan’s efforts over the last four years in setting a stronger foundation for Cadillac,” GM President Dan Amman was quoted as saying.
“Looking forward, the world is changing rapidly, and, beginning with the launch of the new XT4, it is paramount that we capitalize immediately on the opportunities that arise from this rate of change. This move will further accelerate our efforts in that regard,” Amman continued, sounding like he was displeased with Cadillac’s product strategy.
Taking over the reins at Cadillac is Steve Carlisle, who had been heading up GM Canada as its president and managing director. Carlisle joined GM in 1982 as an industrial engineering student and has had multiple leadership positions with the company over the past decade, including a four-year stint as VP of Global Product Planning.
Carlisle’s replacement in this game of executive musical chairs is Australian Travis Hester, currently the VP of Global Product Programs. In that role, he “led the team responsible for balancing all aspects of vehicle development, including quality, cost, appearance, purchasing, customer acceptance and performance targets.” Hester has been with GM since 1995, when he started at Holden as a technical support engineer.
Additional details surrounding de Nysschen’s departure will likely emerge in the coming days. Stay tuned.