General Motors’ head of advanced vehicle development Mark Hogan is leaving at the end of the month to become president of Canadian parts giant Magna International, the Detroit News said, citing those familiar with the matter.
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The paper noted that the move is the first high-level defection in GM’s revamped product development staff since the arrival three years ago of Bob Lutz, the automaker’s ‘product czar’ and vice chairman.
The paper said Hogan, 53, who had been mentioned as a possible successor to Lutz, had been considering the move for several weeks while Magna could announce the appointment as soon as this week.
Hogan reportedly will replace Belinda Stronach, the daughter of Magna founder Frank Stronach, who left the company as president and chief executive officer in January to pursue a political career, winning a seat in the Canadian House of Commons.
Describing him as an outspoken executive, the Detroit News said Hogan sometimes stood out within GM’s button-down bureaucracy.
In the late 1990s, the paper noted, he championed a plan to turn a large chuck of GM’s small car assembly operations over to suppliers to provide major parts modules though the controversial move was scuttled after the United Auto Workers union protested, fearing major job losses inside GM plants if suppliers took on more assembly duties.
Shortly after Lutz’s arrival in September 2001, Hogan was named to lead GM’s new advanced vehicle development department to foster more creative designs and speed new vehicles to market, the Detroit News said.
The report noted that Hogan is the second high-level GM executive to leave this year to head a supplier after GM Europe president Mike Burns resigned in March to become president and CEO at Toledo, Ohio-based Dana Corp.
According to the Detroit News, Magna is among the world’s fastest-growing auto suppliers with 2003 sales of $15.3 billion and 77,000 employees, and produces many different automotive products, including interiors, metal body systems, mirrors and body panels.
The paper also noted that, iIn Europe, Magna has begun developing and/or building key light vehicles such as the Jeep Grand Cherokee, Chrysler Voyager minivan and BMW X3 SUV.
Significantly, the Detroit News reported that GM is Magna’s second-largest customer, accounting for about $US3.67 billion, or 24%, of the parts maker’s revenues last year.
Other major Magna customers include DaimlerChrysler, Ford, Volkswagen, BMW and Toyota.
Magna confirms Hogan’s appointment
