The appointment has been rumoured since last November and, on Thursday, Opel’s supervisory board named Karl-Thomas Neumann (51) chairman of the management board from 1 March. He has also been appointed president of General Motors Europe and a GM vice president and will become a member of the automaker’s executive committee.

In a statement, supervisory board chairman Steve Girsky said: “Neumann has in-depth knowledge of the automotive industry. He has a proven track record in growing business in a profitable way as well as in turnarounds. He will add significant strength to the management board and will be instrumental in leading the company on a turnaround path that will be counted among Europe’s most successful.”

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“Opel/Vauxhall is a key to General Motors’ global success,” said GM chairman and CEO Dan Akerson. “This move will ensure that we have the best possible leadership in place as we continue driving toward profitability and growth in Europe.”

Neumann said: “I am excited to lead a company with such a rich German heritage and strong product portfolio. I’m aware that this will be a challenging job, but I’m convinced that together with my leadership team and employees, we will turn around the company.”

Neumann moves from Volkswagen where he was CEO and vice president of VW China, located in Beijing from September 2010 to August 2012. Previously, he held various other management positions within the VW group which he joined in 1999 as head of group research and director of electronic strategy. In December 2009, Neumann was named the group’s chief officer for electric traction.

From 2004 to 2009 he was at supplier Continental and chaired the executive board from August 2008 to September 2009.

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He also worked at Motorola Semiconductor as an engineer and director of strategy for the automotive industry.