Outgoing General Motors China president and chief country operations officer for China, India and the ASEAN region, Kevin Wale, a Melbourne native, plans to return to Australia after recently announcing, at 57, his “retirement”.

He told Australian auto industry publication GoAuto he would now “learn to relax” after almost four decades in the business.

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Wale began his career at GM’s Holden unit and has also run Vauxhall here in the UK.

Wale told GoAuto it was too early to say whether he would remain involved in either the Australian or global automotive industry, or would be available to Holden as a consultant or in some other capacity.

“Thirty-seven years is a long time in our business so (it’s) time to slow down a little,” he said. “No real plans for the future, so will just see what happens. Whatever it is it will be a lot less time intensive.”

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